PROCEEDINGS 


OF  THE 


TRIENNIAL 


IIKf.D  AT  CHICAGO,  OCT.  1868. 


WITU  THE 


I  N  A  TJ  G  U  R  A  L  ADDRESSES 


OK 


Professors  HAVEN  AND  BARTEETT. 


CHICAGO: 

WM.  H.  RAND,  BOOK  AND  JOB  PRINTER,  148  LAKE  STREET. 

1  858. 


PROCEEDINGS 


%  •  OF  THE 

TRIENNIAL  CONVENTION 


CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCHES 


IN  THE 


NORTHWEST, 

HELD  IN  CONNECTION  WITH  THE  CHICAGO  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY  AT 
CHICAGO,  OCT.  20th  AND  21st,  185S  : 


TOGETHER  WITH  THE 

INAUGURAL  ADDRESSES 


f  OF 


Profs.  HAVEN  AND  BARTLETT. 


CHICAGO: 

WM.  H.  RAND,  BOOK  AND  JOB  PRINTER,  148  LAKE  STREET. 

1  858. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2018  with  funding  from 
University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign 


https://archive.org/details/proceedingsoftriOOcong 


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OFFICERS  OF  THE  CONVENTION. 


PRESIDENT: 

CHARLES  G.  HAMMOND,  ESQ.,  III. 

VICE  PRESIDENTS : 

Rev.  ASA  TURNER,  Iowa, 

Rev.  Z.  M.  HUMPHREY,  Wisconsin. 

SECRETARIES : 

Rev.  PHILO  R.  HURD,  Michigan, 

Rev.  CHARLES  SECCOMBE,  Minnesota, 
Rev.  D.  E.  JONES,  Iowa. 


2 


,.C>L> 


HT  mites. 


The  Constitution  of  the  Chicago  Theological  Seminary  pro¬ 
vides,  that  in  the  year  1858,  and  every  third  year  thereafter, 
it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Board  of  Directors  to  call  a  Conven¬ 
tion,  consisting  of  the  Ministers  and  Delegates  of  the  Congre¬ 
gational  Churches  in  the  various  Northwestern  States  and 
Territories,  engaged  in  the  support  of  the  Seminary.  In  ac¬ 
cordance  with  this  provision,  a  Convention  was  called  by  the 
Directors,  through  their  Secretary,  and  assembled  at  the  First 
Congregational  Church,  in  Chicago,  on  the  20tli  day  of  Octo¬ 
ber,  1858,  at  nine  o’clock  a.  m. 

At  that  hour  the  President  of  the  Board  of  Directors  called 

i 

the  Convention  to  order,  and  a  temporary  organization  was 

effected  by  the  appointment  of  Rev.  AVilliam  Carter,  of 

Illinois,  as  Chairman,  and  Rev.  Darius  E.  Jones,  of  Iowa,  and 

Rev.  AY.  F.  Clarke,  of  "Wisconsin,  as  Secretaries. 

Mr.  Carter  led  the  Convention  in  prayer. 

On  making  out  the  Roll  of  members,  the  following  persons 

were  found  to  be  present. 

* 

ROLL  OF  MEMBERS. 


ILLINOIS. 


Rev.  Edwin  F.  Cutter,  Beardstown. 
Rev.  S.  H.  Emery,  Quincy. 

Willard  Keyes,  do. 

W.  M.  Sweetland,  Newark. 

Rev.  W.  P.  Coltrin,  Griggsville. 

Bradford  Hall,  Briinfield. 

Rev.  A.  J.  Drake,  Oswego. 

F.  A.  Benham,  do. 

Rev.  Robert  Rudd,  Wethersfield. 

Dea.  0.  Loomis,  do. 

Rev.  R.  M.  Pearson,  Byron. 

Rev.  J.  M.  Sturtevant,  D.  D.,  Jackson¬ 
ville. 

J.  W.  Miller,  do. 

Rev.  H.  W.  Cobb,  McLean. 


Rev.  F.  Bascom,  Dover. 

Dea.  T.  W.  Nichols,  do. 

Rev.  J.  E.  Roy,  Ply’h  Ch.,  Chicago. 
Dea.  S.  R.  Ball,  do. 

Rev.  G.  S.  F.  Savage,  St.  Charles. 

John  Lloyd,  do. 

Rev.  A..  B.  Hitchcock,  Moline. 

Rev.  W.  Porter,  Port  Byron. 

Rev.  L.  Foster,  Atlanta. 

H.  D.  Steele,  Malden. 

L.  J.  Colton,  Princeton. 

Rev.  C.  H.  Pierce,  Neponset. 

Rev.  C.  A.  Leach,  Payson. 

J.  K.  Scarborough,  do. 

N.  B.  Lawrence,  Plymouth. 


6 


Rev.  W.  A.  Nichols,  Salem  Cli.  Chicago 
S.  Brooks,  do. 

Rev.  H.  M.  Goodwin,  Rockford. 

Rev.  H.  Brown,  do. 

Rev.  S.  Hemenwav,  Albany. 

I.  B.  Crosby,  do. 

Rev.  Ovid  Miner,  Hoylton. 

Rev.  A.  Lyman,  Sheffield. 

Rev.  R.  C.  Dunn,  Toulon. 

Rev.  L.  Robbins,  Kewanee. 

Rev.  Lewis  Benedict,  Geneva. 

Rev.  S.  A.  Van  Dyke,  West  Urbana. 

R.  B.  Smith,  do. 

Rev.  W.  B.  Atkinson,  Plymouth. 

Rev.  C.  C.  Adams,  Fremont. 

Wm.  S  Skinner,  do. 

Rev.  D.  R.  Miller,  Lisbon 
Rev.  B.  C.  Ward,  St.  Charles. 

J.  G.  Nind,  do. 

Rev.  E.  Goodman,  Chicago. 

Rev.  A.  Morse,  Henry. 

W.  J.  Phelps,  Elmwood. 

Noah  Brooks,  Dixon. 

S.  M.  Moore,  Mendota. 

Rev.  G.  B.  Hubbard,  Tonica. 

H.  S.  Colton,  Bristol. 

Rev.  Wm.  Carter,  Pittsfield. 

Rev.  H.  C.  Abernethy,  Oneida. 

Rev.  B.  F.  Baxter,  St.  Charles. 

Isaac  N.  Jobes,  Plano. 

Rev.  S.  C.  Bartlett,  N.  E.  Ch.  Chicago. 

C.  G.  Hammond,  do. 

Rev.  J.  Emerson,  Rockford. 

B.  Blakeman,  do. 

Rev.  Richard  B.  Bull,  Aurora. 

Wm.  J.  Strong,  do. 

Rev.  0.  W.  Cooley,  Granville. 

Rev.  C.  C.  Breed,  Hadley. 

Levi  Savage,  do. 

Rev.  P.  H.  Snow,  Kewanee. 

H.  G.  Little,  do. 

Rev.  W.  D.  Webb,  Plainfield. 

W.  C.  Goodhue,  do. 

Rev.  N.  C.  Clark,  Elgin. 

0.  Davidson,  do. 

H.  G.  Skinner,  Marengo. 

Geo.  Berner,  Garden  Prairie. 

Rev.  L.  Taylor,  Bloomington. 

Geo.  Dietrich,  do. 

Rev.  J.  D.  Baker,  Cambridge. 

Rev.  P.  B  Parrey,  Picatonica. 

Rev.  Charles  Cutler,  Elmore. 

Rev.  B.  F.  Warren,  Avon. 

Rev.  M.  K.  Whittlesey,  Ottawa. 

R.  0.  Black,  do. 

A.  D.  Brown,  Peru. 

S.  R.  Dole,  Jericho. 

S.  C.  Evers,  Geneva. 

Rev.  E.  G.  Smith,  Tremont. 


Elijah  Brown,  Tremont. 

Rev.  Darius  Gore,  Sycamore. 

Rev.  L.  B.  Lane,  Lisbon. 

Isaac  Beebe,  do. 

Rev.  John  Cross,  Batavia. 

Rev.  M.  N.  Miles,  Geneseo. 

Rev.  E.  Beecher,  D.  D.,  Galesburg. 
Henry  Hitchcock,  do. 

W.  W.  W ashburn,  Dement. 

Moses  Pettingill,  Peoria. 

Rev.  Wm.  W.  Patton,  1st  Ch.  Chicago. 

P.  Carpenter,  do. 

Rev.  E.  W.  Kellogg,  Burritt. 

Rev.  L.  H.  Parker,  Galesburg. 

Rev.  R.  C.  Bristol,  De  Kalb. 

Rev.  W.  B.  Dodge,  Millburn. 

Wm.  Bonner,  do. 

Rev.  L.  Farnham,  Newark. 

Rev.  S.  G.  Wright,  Galva. 

J.  B.  Smith,  do. 

Rev.  A.  C.  Page,  Udina. 

Rev.  H.  L.  Hammond,  Chicago. 

E.  R.  Loomis,  Naperville. 

Rev.  A.  L.  Rankin,  Loda. 

Rev.  Samuel  Dilley,  Warsaw. 

Rev.  Z.  K.  Hawley,  Paysou. 

Rev.  C.  M.  Tyler,  Galesburg. 

John  B.  Fairbank,  Concord. 

J.  N.  Mack,  Batavia. 

Rev.  H.  Judd,  Bloomingdale. 

E.  0.  Hills,  do. 

Rev.  L.  E.  Sykes,  St.  Charles. 

Rev.  Jer.  Porter,  Edw’d’s  Ch.  Chicago. 

Geo.  Herbert,  do. 

Rev.  Wm.  E.  Holyoke,  Polo. 

Rev.  A.  Ethridge,  Deer  Park. 

E.  W.  Grow,  do. 

Rev.  J.  Blanchard,  Galesburg. 

Rev.  E.  B.  Turner,  Morris. 

S.  C.  Hinsdill,  do. 

Rev.  Joel  Grant,  Lockport. 

Rev.  W.  E.  Merriman,  Batavia. 

Rev.  James  Kilbourn,  Sandwich. 

W.  W.  Sedgwick,  do. 

Rev.  J.  Matteson,  *  do. 

Rev.  A.  B.  Campbell,  Mendon. 
j  Rev.  S.  P.  Sloan,  Winnebago. 

- Davis,  do. 

Rev.  J.  Loughead,  Morris. 

Dea.  Lemuel  Fisk,  Shirland. 

R.  J.  Jennison,  Lockport. 

Julius  Brown,  De  Kalb. 

Sylvanus  Town,  Aurora. 

Rev.  J.  M.  Williams,  Farmington. 

P.  P.  Chapman,  do. 

Rev.  M,  II.  Smith,  Kankakee  City. 

Joseph  Farwell,  Amboy. 

Rev.  S.  II.  Thompson,  McHenry. 

Rev.  Theophilus  Packard,,  Manteno. 


7 


WISCONSIN. 


Rev.  N.  H.  Eggleston,  Madison. 

Rev.  Wm.  L.  Mather,  Fond  du  Lac. 
Rev.  W.  Deloss  Love,  Spring  St.  Ch. 
Milwaukee. 

Rev.  Hiram  Foote,  Janesville. 

James  Sherman,  Broadhead. 

Rev.  Warren  Day,  Wauwatosa. 

Rev.  0.  F.  Curtis,  Emerald  Grove. 

J.  W.  Dean,  do. 

Rev.  L.  H.  Johnson,  Elkhorn. 

Rev.  W.  F.  Clark,  Waukesha. 

Geo.  E.  Sickles,  do. 

Rev.  E.  D.  Seward,  Lake  Mills. 

Charles  Wood,  do. 

Rev.  C.  W.  Camp,  Sheboygan. 

Rev.  Huntington  Lyman,  Johnstown. 
Rev.  W.  H.  Bernard,  Shopiere. 

Wm.  A.  Thayer,  Bristol. 

Rev.  A.  Sedgwick,  East  Troy. 

Rev.  Sam’l  Beane,  Beloit. 


Rev.  J.  C.  Holbrook,  Dubuque. 

A.  M.  Chaplin,  do. 

Rev.  Moses  K.  Cross,  Tipton. 

Rev.  Thomas  H.  Canfield,  Belleview. 

D.  J.  Watkins,  do. 

Rev.  Darius  E.  Jones,  Columbus  City. 
Rev.  W.  A.  Keith,  Brookfield. 

Rev.  George  Butterfield,  Elk  River. 
Rev.  A.  B.  Robbins,  Muscatine. 

Jacob  Butler,  do. 

Rev.  J.  Guernsey,  Davenport. 

Rev.  George  F.  Magoun,  Davenport. 

Strong  Burnell,  do. 

Rev.  E.  Ripley,  do. 

Rev.  0.  Emerson,  West  Union. 

Rev.  B.  A.  Spaulding,  Ottumwa. 

J.  W.  Norris,  do. 


L.  D.  Gregory,  Beloit. 

Rev.  P.  C.  Pettibone,  Burlington. 

Rev.  D.  T.  Noyes,  Prairie  du  Sac. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Payne,  Salem. 

Hiram  Manson,  do. 

Rev.  B.  B.  Parsons,  Ripon. 

Rev.  Prof.  J.  Emerson,  Beloit. 

Rev.  Sam’l  Day,  Milwaukee. 

Rev.  Richard  Morris,  Delafield. 

Rev.  N.  D.  Graves,  Allens  Grove. 

J.  S.  Curtiss,  do. 

Rev.  R.  R.  Snow,  Waterford. 

Rev.  H.  H.  Benson,  Waupun. 

Rev.  M  P.  Kinney,  Racine. 

Rev.  Z.  M.  Humphrey,  Milwaukee. 

W.  J.  McNeill,  Spring  St.  Ch.  Mil¬ 
waukee. 

Rev.  Wm.  M.  Richards,  Berlin. 

Rev.  C.  C.  Cadwell,  Genoa. 

Rev.  F.  Lawson,  Bristol. 


Rev.  Asa  Turner,  Denmark. 

Timothy  Fox,  do. 

Rev.  J.  P.  Kimball,  Keokuk. 

Rev.  Wm.  Salter,  Burlington. 

John  G.  Foote,  do. 

Rev.  C.  H.  Gates,  Washington. 

Chas.  Foster,  do. 

Rev.  A.  Harper,  Sabula. 

Dea.  T.  Esmary,  do. 

Rev.  John  Van  Antwerp,  Dewitt. 

James  Brown,  Lyons. 

Rev.  C.  F.  Vietz,  Muscatine. 

Rev.  Julius  A.  Reed,  Davenport. 

James  McGregor,  Newton. 
Rev.  Eplnaim  Adams,  Decorah. 
Rev.  W.  L.  Coleman,  Stacyville. 


MICHIGAN. 


Rev.  H.  D.  Kitchel,  D.  D.,  Detroit. 
Rev.  Sam’l  D.  Cochran,  Ann  Arbor. 
Rev.  A.  B.  Pratt,  Genesee. 

Rev.  W.  B.  Dada,  Jackson. 

Rev.  Asa  Mahan,  Adrian. 

Rev.  Edward  Tavlor,  Kalamazoo. 

Henry  Montague,  do. 

Rev.  Wm.  E.  Catlin,  TAma, 

Rev.  A.  S.  Kedzie,  Clinton. 

Rev.  M.  W.  Fairfield,  Olivet. 

Rev.  Thomas  Jones,  Galesburg. 

Rev.  Hiram  Elmer,  Chelsea. 

S.  D.  Breed,  do. 

Rev.  L.  Smith  Hobart,  Hudson. 

John  L.  Taylor,  do. 

Rev.  Wm.  P.  Russell,  Memphis. 


!  Rev.  Thos.  W.  Jones,  Dowagiac. 
Rev.  J.  Anderson,  Grand  Haven. 
Rev.  W.  Wolcott,  Kalamazoo. 

D.  C.  Reed,  do. 

Rev.  E.  Andrus,  Niles. 

Rev.  N.  Grover,  South  Haven. 

S.  F.  Foster,  do. 

Henry  H.  Booth,  Allegan. 

L.  Watson,  Lawrence. 

!  Rev.  S.  S.  N.  Greely,  Grand  Rapids. 

N.  L.  Avery,  do. 

|  Rev.  Philo  R.  Hurd,  Romeo, 
i  Rev.  Chas.  Jones,  Battle  Creek. 

;  Rev.  John  D.  Pierce,  Ypsilanti. 

Rev.  A.  H.  Fletcher,  Owosso. 

Chas.  L.  Goodhue,  do. 


8 


OHIO. 

Rev.  J.  B.  Walker,  Sandusky.  |  Rev.  S.  P.  Fay,  Dayton. 

INDIANA. 

Rev.  D.  Wert,  Ligonier. 


MISSOURI. 


Rev.  T.  M.  Post,  D.  D.,  St.  Louis. 


MINNESOTA. 


Rev.  Burdett  Hart,  St.  Paul. 

Rev.  Charles  Seccombe,  St.  Anthony. 


Rev.  R.  Hall,  Point  Douglass. 


HONORARY  MEMBERS. 

Rev.  Sewall  Harding,  Secretary  Congregational  Board  of  Publication,  Boston. 
Rev.  Isaac  P.  Langworthy,  Secretary  Congregational  Union,  New  York. 

G.  L.  Weed,  M.  D.,  Treas.  Ref.  Doct.  Book  and  Tract  Soc.,  Cincinnati. 


Rev.  Messrs.  E.  Bascom,  of  Ill.,  L.  S.  Hobart,  of  Mich., 

E.  D.  Seward,  of  Wis.,  R.  Hall,  of  Minn.,  J.  Butler,  of  Iowa, 
T.  M.  Post,  D.  I).,  of  Mo.,  were  appointed  a  Committee  on  the 
nomination  of  permanent  officers  of  the  Convention. 

Rev.  Messrs.  II,  I).  Kitchel,  D.  D.,  of  Mich.,  W.  Salter, 
of  Iowa,  D.  T.  Ho  yes,  of  Wis.,  C.  Seccombe,  of  Minn.,  G.  S. 

F.  Savage,  of  Ill.,  T.  M.  Post,  D.  I).,  of  Mo.,  I).  Wert,  of 
Ind.,  were  appointed  a  Committee  on  the  apportionment  of  the 
Directors  of  the  Chicago  Theological  Seminary. 

The  Committee  on  the  nomination  of  permanent  officers  of 
the  Convention,  made  the  following  report,  which  was  accepted 
and  adopted : 

Charles  G.  Hammond,  Esq.,  of  111.,  President. 

Rev.  Asa  Turner,  of  Iowa, 

Rev.  Z.  M.  Humphrey,  of  Wis., 

Rev.  Philo  R.  IIurd,  of  Mich.,  I 
Rev.  Ciias.  Seccombe,  of  Minn.,  V  Secretaries. 

Rev.  Darius  E.  Jones,  of  Iowa,  J 


Vice  Presidents. 


9 


Rev.  Messrs.  J.  C.  IIoi/brook,  of  Iowa,  L.  S.  Hobart,  of 
Midi.,  J.  M.  Sturtevant,  D.  D.,  of  Ill.,  W.  W.  Patton, 
of  Ill.,  and  T.  M.  Post.,  I).  I).,  of  Mo.,  were  appointed  a 
Business  Committee. 

While  the  Business  Committee  were  preparing  their  report, 
a  paper  was  read  by  Rev.  II.  L.  Hammond,  in  reference  to 
the  Congregational  Herald. 

Rev.  F.  Bascom,  of  Ill.,  A.  B.  Robbins,  of  Iowa,  and  E. 
Taylor,  of  Mich.,  were  appointed  a  committee  to  take  into 
consideration  the  condition  of  the  Congregational  Herald ,  and 
report  wThat  action  in  reference  to  it,  hy  the  Convention,  may 
be  deemed  expedient. 

The  Business  Committee  reported  a  Docket,  which  was 
placed  in  the  hands  of  the  President. 

The  committee  on  the  apportionment  of  the  Directors  of 
the  Seminary  made  the  following  report,  which  was  accepted 
and  adopted : 


That  Illinois 

be 

entitled 

to  S— 

-6 

now 

to  be 

elected, 

Michigan 

u 

u 

“  5- 

-1 

u 

u 

a 

Wisconsin 

u 

6i 

“  5- 

-2 

u 

u 

u 

Iowa 

u 

u 

“  3- 

-1 

a 

a 

a 

Minnesota 

u 

a 

“  1- 

-1 

u 

a 

u 

Indiana 

u 

u 

“  1- 

-1 

u 

a 

a 

Missouri 

u 

u 

“  1- 

-none 

a 

a 

The  Convention  took  a  recess  until  2  o’clock  p.  m. 


2  o’clock  p.  m. 

Met  according  to  adjournment,  and  Convention  was  opened 
with  prayer  by  Rev.  J.  B.  Walker,  of  Ohio. 

The  Board  of  Visitors  reported,  that  according  to  the  pro¬ 
visions  of  the  Constitution,  they  have,  on  this,  their  first 
meeting,  divided  themselves  into  two  parts ;  and  that  Rev.  S. 

W.  Eaton,  of  Wis.,  Rev.  H.  N.  Brinsmade,  D.  D.,  of  Wis., 
2 


10 


Rev.  D.  M.  Bardwell,  of  Mich.,  and  Rev.  Philo  R.  Hued,  of 
Mich.,  are  now  to  go  out  of  office. 

Rev.  E.  Beechee,  D.  D.,  of  Ill.,  Rev.  J.  Guernsey,  of  Iowa, 
and  Rev.  R.  M.  Pearson,  of  Ill.,  were  appointed  a  committee 
to  recommend  a  rule  bv  which  the  vacancies  in  the  Board  of 
Visitors  shall  be  filled,  and  also,  to  nominate  persons  to  fill 
the  vacancies  which  now  occur. 

The  Report  of  the  Directors  of  the  Seminary  was  read  by 
the  Rev.  A.  S.  Iaedzie. 

Voted — That  this  Report  be  accepted  and  referred  to  a  special 
committee,  consisting  of  Rev.  Messrs.  J.  M.  Sturteyant, 
D.  D.,  of  Ill.,  J.  Blanchard,  of  Ill.,  and  TT.  D.  Love, 
of  Mis.,  to  recommend  such  action  concerning  it  as  may 
seem  best. 

The  Treasurer’s  Report  was  read  by  L.  D.  Olmsted,  Esq., 
and  referred  to  a  special  committee,  consisting  of  Messrs.  But- 
lee,  of  Iowa,  and  Booth,  of  Mich. 

The  following  persons  were  elected  Directors  of  the  Chicago 
Theological  Seminary  for  the  six  years  next  ensuing. 

From  Illinois,  Rev.  Elavel  Bascom,  Rev.  TT illiam  Carter, 
C.  G.  Hammoxd,  Esq.,  Rev.  W.  W.  Patton,  Rev.  J.  E.  Rot, 
Horatio  Hitchcock,  M.  D. 

From  Michigan,  Rev.  L.  S.  Hobart. 

From  Wisconsin,  Hon.  E.  D.  Holton,  Rev.  W.  L.  Mather. 

From  Minnesota,  Rev.  Richard  Hall. 

From  Indiana,  Rev.  M.  A.  Jewett. 

From  Iowa,  John  G.  Foote,  Esq. 

On  motion  of  Pres.  Blanchard,  of  Illinois,  it  was 

Resolved,  That  in  the  election  of  Directors  at  future  Conventions,  we  recom¬ 
mend  that  the  nominations  by  States  shall  be  made  by  ballot,  and  that  the 
question  of  rotation  or  re-election  of  Directors  who  have  once  served,  be  referred 
to  the  Delegations  from  States  and  Territories. 

Voted — That  the  principle  on  which  the  appointment  of  the 
Visitors  of  the  Seminary  shall  be  made,  shall  be  irrespective 
of  states. 


11 


Rev.  A.  Mahan,  of  Michigan,  Rev.  W.  TV\  Patton,  of  Illi¬ 
nois,  ancl  Rev.  J.  Blanchard,  of  Illinois,  were  appointed 
a  committee  on  the  subject  of  furnishing  aid  to  indigent  stu¬ 
dents. 

Rev.  Prof.  Emerson,  of  Illinois,  Pres.  Sturtevant,  of  Illi¬ 
nois,  and  Prof.  Ripley,  of  Iowa,  were  appointed  a  committee 
on  the  subject  of  individual  churches  seeking  out  candidates 
for  the  Christian  Ministry. 

The  resolution  on  the  subject  of  the  recent  Religious  Awak¬ 
ening  was  made  the  order  of  the  day  for  to-morrow  morning, 
at  9  o’clock. 

The  ^resolution  on  the  Church  Erection  Fund  was  made  the 
order  of  the  day  for  to-morrow,  at  3  o’clock  p.  m. 

Voted — That  from  8  to  9  o’clock  to-morrow  morning  be 
spent  in  devotional  exercises,  in  connection  with  the  morning 
prayer  meeting. 

The  committee  on  Aid  to  Indigent  Young  Men  made  a  re- 

o  o 

port  which  was  accepted,  and  the  matter  made  the  order  ot 
the  day  for  to-morrow  p.  m.,  at  2  o’clock.  < 

Voted — To  adjourn  to  9  o'clock  to-morrow  morning. 


October  21st,  9  o’clock  a.  m. 

The  Convention  met  according  to  adjournment,  having  pre¬ 
viously  spent  an  hour  in  devotional  exercises,  according  to 
appointment. 

The  minutes  of  yesterday  were  read  and  approved. 

The  resolution  on  the  subject  of  the  recent  Religious  Awak¬ 
ening,  which  was  made  the  order  of  the  day  for  9  o'clock  this 
morning,  was  taken  up  and  discussed,  and  passed  in  the  fol¬ 
lowing  words,  viz : 


12 


Resolved ,  That  the  recent  Religious  Awakening  creates  an  additional  necessity 
for  the  institution  of  our  Theological  Seminary  to  receive  the  young  men  whose 
attention  has  thereby  been  turned  towards  the  Gospel  Ministry,  and  to  provide  a 
more  adequate  supply  of  pastors  for  the  growing  churches  of  the  West;  and 
that  a  still  deeper  and  more  extensive  work  of  grace  is  needed  to  sanctify  the 
thousands  of  unconverted  young  men  still  unaffected. 


Tlie  committee  on  tlie  Report  of  the  Board  of  Directors  of 
the  Seminary,  made  a  report,  which  was  accepted  and  adopted, 
as  follows : 

The  committee  appointed  on  the  Report  of  the  Board  of  Directors,  recommend, 
that  the  Convention  should  express  a  general  and  very  cordial  approbation  of  the 
conduct  of  the  affairs  of  the  Institution  and  concurrence  in  the  views  expressed 
in  the  report. 

The  committee  would  particularly  commend  the  views  adopted  by  the  Board 
in  relation  to  providing  dormitories  for  the  students,  and  believe  that  it  will  be 
found  to  hold  true  in  experience  that  by  carrying  out  these  views  great  economy 
will  be  secured  in  the  appropriation  of  funds. 

% 

Even  if  it  should  be  found  that  living  in  private  families  is  a  little  more 
expensive,  which* your  committee  do  not  believe,  the  funds  which  would  be  saved 
by  this  arrangement,  put  at  interest  and  the  avails  appropriated  to  the  aid  of 
indigent  students,  would  more  than  make  amends  for  this  disadvantage,  while 
the  advantages  gained  to  the  students  in  a  social  and  moral  point  of  view  are  of 
incalculable  importance.  The  church  cannot  afford  to  train  her  ministers  in 
circumstances  disadvantageous  to  their  habits  and  morals  for  the  sake  of  saving 
a  little  money. 

The  committee  would  also  call  attention  to  the  suggestions  of  the  report 
relative  to  aiding  indigent  students. 

The  subject  is  one  of  the  greatest  practical  importance.  The  committee 
would  also  express  approbation  of  the  particular  mode  of  furnishing  such  aid 
adopted  by  the  Directors,  that  of  scholarships.  It  is,  the  committee  believe, 
much  better  than  a  Western  Education  Society. 

They  would,  however,  venture  the  additional  suggestion  that  the  Directors 
should  give  their  earnest  attention  to  devising  such  plans  as  will  secure  those 
scholarships  against  being  appropriated  to  any  student  who  is  deficient  in  any  of 
those  traits  of  character  which  promise  usefulness  in  the  ministry.  Perhaps  the 
Board  of  Visitors  may  be  charged  with  special  duties  relative  to  this  matter. 

As  to  the  importance  of  exciting  our  churches  to  greater  zeal  for  the  raising 
up  of  such  a  ministry  as  the  Lord  hath  need  of,  Christ  himself  has  commended 
to  the  earnest  and  prayerful  consideration  of  all  Christian  ministers  and  Christian 
men,  “  Pray  ye,  therefore,  the  Lord  of  the  harvest  that  He  would  send  forth 
laborers  into  Ilis  harvest.”  Indeed,  a  truly  Christian  Church  cannot  neglect  it 


any  more  than  Rome  engaged  in  the  conquest  of  the  world  could  neglect  to  train 
soldiers  and  organize  legions. 


The  committee  to  whom  was  referred  the  subject  of  extend¬ 
ing  the  circulation  of  the  Congregational  Her  aid ,  reported  the 
following  resolutions : 

1.  Resolved ,  That  we  regard  the  Congregational  Herald ,  whose  ultimate  pro¬ 
fits  are  devoted  to  the  library  of  the  Theological  Seminary,  as  one  of  the  most 
important  agencies  in  promoting  the  cause  of  religion,  benevolence,  and  Chris¬ 
tian  education,  in  the  field  of  our  labors. 

2.  Resolved ,  That  the  increase  of  the  circulation  of  the  Herald,  is  far  the 
most  desirable  mode  of  increasing  its  income ;  and  that  a  committee  of  one  be 
appointed  whose  duty  shall  be,  by  correspondence  through  the  mail,  and  also 
through  the  Herald  itself,  to  see  that  an  attempt  be  made  in  every  Church  to 
supply  every  family  with  the  paper. 

3.  Resolved ,  That  the  circulation  of  the  Herald  must  and  shall  be  greatly 
extended,  and  that  we  will  take  hold  of  the  work,  and  hold  on,  till  it  is  accom¬ 
plished. 

4.  Resolved,  That  in  accomplishing  this  object,  we  wiil  first  take  the  Herald 
ourselves,  and  then  endeavor  to  persuade  every  family  in  our  respective  Churches, 
whose  pecuniary  ability  will  justify  it,  to  subscribe  for  it  and  pay  for  it ;  and  we 
will  strive  to  furnish  it  to  every  family  that  is  unable  to  pay  for  it,  by  donations 
or  collections,  for  that  purpose. 

5.  Resolved,  That  we  earnestlv  recommend  to  all  the  Congregational  minis- 
ters  of  the  Northwest  to  preach  a  sermon  setting  forth  the  claims  which  this 
subject  has  upon  every  member  of  our  churches. 

In  accordance  with  the  second  resolution  above,  Rev.  II.  L. 
Hammond,  the  Office  Editor  of  the  Herald  was  appointed  the 
Committee  of  Correspondence. 

On  motion,  it  was 

Resolved,  That  the  Secretaries  of  this  Convention  be  directed  to  prepare  a 
full  minute  of  its  proceedings,  to  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  Directors,  and 
that  the  Directors  be  instructed  to  procure  a  suitable  book  for  the  purpose,  and 
cause  the  minutes  of  the  present  and  future  Conventions  to  be  put  on  record 
therein  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Board. 

On  the  recommendation  of  a  committee,  it  was 

Resolved,  That  this  Convention  invite  the  Congregational  Churches  in  the 
Territories  of  Kansas  and  Nebraska,  and  also  in  the  State  of  Ohio,  to  enter  into 


14 


the  constituency  of  this  Seminary,  and  that  they  be  included  in  the  invitation  to 
the  next  Triennial  Convention. 

The  following  persons,  on  the  nomination  of  the  committee, 
were  elected  as  Visitors  of  the  Chicago  Theological  Seminary, 
for  the  next  six  years  ensuing; : 

Rev.  Z.  M.  Humphrey,  of  Wisconsin  ;  Rev.  Piiilo  R.  Hurd, 
of  Michigan  ;  TV\  J.  Phelps,  Esq.,  of  Illinois  ;  and  Rev.  Prof. 
J.  Emerson,  of  Wisconsin. 

Voted — That  brethren  from  abroad  he  invited  to  participate 
in  our  deliberations. 

The  Convention  took  a  recess  until  2  o’clock  p.  m. 


2  o’clock  p.  m. 

The  Convention  met  according  to  adjournment,  and  was 
opened  with  prayer  by  Rev.  T.  Jones,  of  Michigan. 

The  order  of  the  day  was  then  taken  up,  which  was  the 
Report  of  a  Committee  on  Furnishing  Aid  for  Indigent  Young 
Men.  This  report,  after  a  very  lengthy  and  spirited  discus¬ 
sion,  was  finally  adopted  in  the  following  form : 

report. 

1.  We  learn  that  a  very  large  proportion  of  the  students  now  in  Chicago 
Theological  Seminary,  need  aid  to  complete  their  education. 

2.  Your  committee  further  believe,  that  such  aid  will  always  be  required  and 
ought  always  to  be  afforded  by  the  Churches  to  their  candidates  for  the  ministry. 

3.  Your  committee  learn  with  pleasure  that  collections  for  this  object  are  pro¬ 
vided  for  in  the  Churches  of  Illinois,  Michigan,  Wisconsin  and  Iowa ;  that  we 
heartily  endorse  and  recommend  the  object  to  all  our  associations,  and  advise 
them  to  form  friendly  and  co  operative  relations  with  the  American  Education 
Society. 

4.  And  further,  as  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  meet*  a  pressing  exigency,  we 
recommend  to  the  Congregational  Churches  of  the  North  West  to  take  up  a 
collection  to  aid  indigent  students  preparing  for  the  ministry,  on  the  first  Sabbath 
in  December  next,  and  forward  such  portion  as  may  be  deemed  needful  to  the 
Treasurer  of  the  Seminary,  to  be  appropriated  at  the  discretion  of  the  Executive 
Committee. 


The  following  action  was  taken  in  regard  to  the  subject  of 

Chnrcli  Building : 

* 

Resolved ,  That  the  subject  of  Church  Building  is  one  that  demands  a  place 
among  the  annual  benevolent  contributions  of  the  Congregational  Churches  of 
our  land. 

It  is  obvious  that  a  house  of  worship  is  a  fundamental  want  of  any  Church, 
and  that  many  Churches  are  utterly  unable  to  erect  one  without  aid. 

We  recommend,  therefore,  to  our  Churches  that  they  take  up  an  annual  collec¬ 
tion  for  this  purpose. 

In  connection  with  the  above  resolution  and  recommenda¬ 
tion,  the  Convention  listened  to  remarks  by  Rev.  J.  P.  Lang¬ 
worthy,  Secretary  of  the  Congregational  Union,  and  by 
various  members  of  the  Convention. 

The  committee  to  whom  was  referred  the  Treasurer’s  Re¬ 
port,  made  the  following  statement  in  regard  to  the  same : 

The  committee  take  pleasure  in  commending  the  clear  and  business-like  con¬ 
dition  of  the  accounts  and  books  of  the  Treasurer,  and  congratulate  the  Con¬ 
vention  on  the  healthy  condition  of  the  finances  of  the  Seminary. 


The  report  of  the  committee  was  accepted  and  adopted. 

The  Convention  listened  to  remarks  from  Rev.  Sewall 
Harding,  Secretary  of  the  Congregational  Board  of  Publica¬ 
tion,  in  reference  to  the  objects  and  aims  of  that  Board  ;  after 
which  it  was 

Resolved ,  That  we  regard  the  Congregational  Board  of  Publication  as  an  impor¬ 
tant  source  of  religious  and  theological  literature,  evangelical  and  sound,  for  the 
supply  of  our  Churches,  pastors,  and  theological  students ;  and  we  recommend 
that  our  Churches,  so  far  as  feasible,  contribute  annually  to  the  support  of  this 
institution. 

The  Convention  listened  to  remarks  from  Dr.  G.  L.  Weed 
and  Rev.  II.  Bushnell,  in  behalf  of  the  American  Reform 
Book  and  Tract  Society. 

Yoted  to  take  a  recess  to  the  close  of  the  services  this  eve¬ 
ning. 

The  Convention  was  called  to  order  by  the  President,  after 
the  services  of  the  evening. 


16 


On  motion  of  Rev.  Pres.  Blanchard,  it  was 


Resolved,  That  this  Convention  have  listened  with  pleasure  to  the  remarks  of 
Dr.  G.  L.  Weed,  and  Rev.  Horace  Bushnell,  in  behalf  of  the  American  Reform 
Book  and  Tract  Society,  located  at  Cincinnati,  0.,  and  hope  that  Society  will 
soon  become  national  in  its  influence  as  in  its  object — the  divorce  of  American 
slavery  from  American  principles ;  and  we  cordially  commend  said  society  to  the 
confidence  and  patronage  of  our  Churches. 


Yoted  that  the  thanks  of  the  Convention  he  presented  to 
the  families  in  this  city  for  the  kind  and  generous  manner  in 
which  they  have  opened  their  doors  for  our  entertainment. 

Also,  to  the  First  Baptist  Society  of  this  city,  for  so  kindly 
granting  us  the  use  of  their  church  for  the  purpose  of  holding 
the  Inauguration  Services. 

Also,  to  the  Choir,  for  the  excellent  music  furnished  on  those 
occasions. 

And  to  C.  G.  Hammond,  Esq.,  the  President  of  the  Con¬ 
vention,  for  the  kind  and  able  manner  in  which  he  has  presided 
over  the  deliberations  of  our  bodv. 

%j 

After  prayerby  Rev.  E.  Beecher,  D.  1).,  the  Convention 
adjourned  sine  die. 

Attest :  Philo  R.  Hurd,  ) 

Charles  Seccombe,  >  Secretaries. 
Darius  E.  Jones,  ) 


4> 


REPORT  OF  THE  BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS 


OF  THE 

CHICAGO  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 

TO  THE 

TRIENNIAL  CONVENTION, 

OCTOBER  20tli,  A.  D.  1858. 


The  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Chicago  Theological  Semi¬ 
nary,  would  make  the  following  Report  to  the  Triennial 
Convention,  assembling  in  Chicago,  Oct.  20tli,  1858. 

The  Board,  apppointed  Sept.  26,  1854,  by  the  Congrega¬ 
tional  Convention  then  assembled  in  Chicago,  and  organized 
March  28,  1855,  under  the  charter  granted  by  the  Legislature 
of  Illinois,  have  held  eight  meetings  in  prosecution  of  the 
work  assigned  them.  'With  as  much  energy  as  they  could 
command,  they  have  prosecuted  this  work  under  many  unfore¬ 
seen  difficulties,  and  by  the  blessing  of  God  have  brought  it 
so  far  toward  completion,  that  they  are  now  able  to  report  to 
the  Convention,  that  the  Chicago  Theological  Seminary  has 
begun  its  existence,  and  is  in  actual  operation. 

The  method  of  accomplishing  this  work,  and  the  various 
difficulties  which  had  to  be  overcome,  with  the  present  condi¬ 
tion  and  prospects  of  this  enterprise,  the  Board  of  Directors 
would  now  present  to  the  Convention. 

1.  An  important  object  to  be  attained  at  the  outset  was  to 
beget  within  our  own  minds  an  adecpiate  view  of  the  magni¬ 
tude  and  cost  of  the  work  of  establishing  a  Theological  Semi¬ 
nary.  In  the  early  stage  of  the  work,  inadequate  apprehensions 

existed  in  the  Board  and  among  early  subscribers  to  its  funds, 
8 


18 


t 


as  to  the  cost  of  establishing  such  an  institution,  and  of  the 
time  requisite  in  effecting  it.  In  consequence,  expectations 
were  excited,  whose  fulfillment  was  delayed  from  spring  to 
autumn,  and  from,  autumn  to  spring,  until  room  was  made  in 
$ome  minds  for  a  feeling  of*  disappointment.  This  resulted 
not  from  any  lack  of  effort  on  the  part  of  the  Board,  but  from 
the  magnitude  of  the  enterprise.  And  now  that  the  Seminary 
has  begun  its  existence,  it  is  only  as  yet  in  its  infancy,  and 
must  have  many  years  of  careful  nurture — many  years  of 
growth  and  development  before  it  attains  to  the  maturity  of 
its  usefulness. 

The  death  of  Rev.  Stephen  Peet,  the  first  agent  of  the  Board, 
whose  energy,  enthusiasm,  and  experience  gave  such  an  im¬ 
pulse  to  the  work,  was  felt  by  the  Board  as  a  deep,  personal 
affliction,  as  well  as  a  hindrance  to  the  early  accomplishment 
of  our  enterprize. 

The  same  experience  was  repeated  in  the  death  of  Rev. 
Geo.  W.  Perkins,  an  early  friend  of  the  Seminary,  and  a 
hearty  co-operator  in  its  establishment.  But  the  work  was  too 
important  to  be  permanently  affected  by  the  failure  of  any 
human  agencies. 


2.  The  appointment  of  suitable  instructors  necessarily  en¬ 
gaged  the  earnest  thoughts  and  deepest  solicitude  of  the  Board. 
In  the  hands  of  the  men  appointed  as  Professors  was  to  be 
put  the  character  and  reputation  of  the  Seminary.  Its  first 
instructors,  more  perhaps  than  any  others,  would  give  tone  to 
its  spirit,  and  set  in  operation  influences  which  would  be  felt 
for  ages  to  come.  Could  we  have  gone  into  other  Seminaries 
of  like  character  and  selected  men  who  had  proved  their 
capacity,  our  course  would  have  been  plain.  But  no  such 
were  to  be  had.  TT e  were  compelled  to  take  men  from  other 
stations  in  life,  and  leave  them  to  prove  their  worth  in  an 
untried  position. 

Then,  were  the  institution  we  were  founding  a  copy  of 
others  existing  elsewhere,  demanding  of  us  only  skill  to  work 

O  7  ZD  d 

by  the  model,  it  would  have  been  an  easier  matter  to  find 

d  7 

suitable  Professors.  But  the  Chicago  Theological  Seminary 
is  in  a  large  degree  peculiar  and  original  in  its  characteristics. 


It  aims  to  work  some  improvement  in  the  method  of  Theo¬ 
logical  education ;  and  for  this  requires  men  for  its  offices  of 
instruction  who  are  in  sympathy  with  its  peculiarities,  and 
who  can  do  a  work  which,  in  the  precise  shape  of  it  here 
requisite,  has  not  hitherto  been  done.  These  difficulties  in¬ 
spired  us  with  caution.  We  had  conference  and  correspond¬ 
ence  with  our  brethren  at  the  east  and  in  the  west.  By  all 
available  aids  we  weighed  and  measured  candidates  for  our 
chairs  of  instruction,  took  the  guage  of  their  minds,  and  noted 
the  tone  of  their  spirit.  Amid  difficulties  so  numerous,  it  is  a 
matter  of  gratitude  in  the  Board  that  they  were  able  in  all 
their  appointments  to  act  in  perfect  unanimity. 

The  Board  have  no  pride  which  leads  them  to  conceal  the 
fact  that  they  made  appointments  of  Professors  which  were 
not  accepted  by  them.  The  difficulties  on  the  part  of  the 
Professor  in  accepting  were  as  many  as  those  under  which  the 
Board  labored  in  making  the  appointment.  Whether  his 
removal  to  a  western  climate  would  not  endanger  the  health 


of  his  family — whether  he  would  he  able  to  realize  the  expec¬ 
tations  of  the  Board,  the  ministry  and  the  churches,  in  de¬ 
veloping  the  peculiar  institution  here  sought  to  be  founded — 
whether  he  should  leave  a  successful  pastorate  or  a  well  estab¬ 
lished  college,  and  commit  his  temporal  well-being  and  that 
of  his  family  to  an  enterprise  whose  foundation  was  “  promises 
to  pay  ” — an  institution  that  was  as  yet  only  a  promise  and 
prophecy,  which  had  no  funded  property,  and  no  reliance  but 
the  Divine  blessing,  through  the  favor  and  co-operation  of  the 
churches.  Then  came  up  the  uncertain  problem  to  make  the 
Seminary  such,  through  his  untried  skill,  that  it  should  have 
ceaselesslv  flowing  around  it  the  sympathy  of  the  churches, 
and  plentifully  toward  it  their  bountiful  contributions. 

Some  of  these  questions  had.  by  different  parties,  to  be  de¬ 
cided  in  the  negative.  One,  on  account  of  the  health  of  his 
family  ;  another,  from  the  conviction,  frankly  expressed,  that 
his  conservatism  would  not  gather  around  the  institution  the 
sympathies  of  our  western  ministers  and  churches,  was  led  to 
decline  our  appointment.  And  thus,  in  this  line  of  our  work, 
the  efforts  and  time  of  one  whole  year  were  lost. 


And  now,  when  a  final  result  lias  been  attained,  by  securing 
to  the  Seminary  the  two  instructors  to  be  inaugurated  at  this 
meeting,  and  the  one  to  be  inducted  into  office  at  our  next  and 
first  commencement,  the  Board  are  deeply  impressed  with  the 

conviction  that  the  hand  of  God  has  been  in  the  matter,  and 

/ 

that  he  has  guided  to  a  result  on  which  his  approval  will  rest. 
Years  of  effort,  of  depressing  anxiety,  accompanied  all  along 
with  an  earnest  supplication  for  Divine  guidance,  have  brought 
the  board  to  a  result  which  they  present  to  the  Convention 
with  special  satisfaction,  and  which,  they  are  assured,  time  and 
trial  will  approve. 

3.  The  precise  location  of  the  Seminary  is  a  matter  which 
has  cost  the  Board  no  little  solicitude,  and  anxiety  and  effort. 
Proposals  to  give  or  sell  to  the  Board  a  site  for  the  Seminary 
buildings,  were  made  by  nearly  fifty  different  parties.  These 
proposed  locations  had  to  be  examined.  The  bearing  of  each 
upon  the  opening  prospects  of  the  institution,  and  upon  its 
prospects  and  condition  far  in  the  future,  involving,  as  they  did, 
a  wide  margin  of  uncertainties  as  to  the  future  growth  of  the 
city,  and  the  direction  of  that  growth,  made  this  question  of 
location  a  very  perplexing  one  ;  and  all  the  more  so,  when  it 
was  proposed  by  different  denominations  of  Christians  to  locate 
other  Theological  schools  in  and  about  this  city,  to  the  vicinity 
of  which  we  are  restricted  by  our  charter. 

Two  different  plans  were  before  the  Board.  1st — To  go  out 
of  the  city  from  two  to  five  miles,  purchase  a  large  tract  of 
land,  build  up  a  suburban  town,  erect  Seminary  buildings,  and 
houses  for  our  Professors — thus  making  it  an  attractive  place, 
and  creating  a  demand  for  residence  property,  which  should 
enable  the  Board  to  remunerate  itself  for  all  this  expenditure, 
by  the  sale  of  its  lands.  This  plan  was  not  adopted,  because 
it  involved  an  uncertain  speculation  in  real  estate — because 
it  involved  greater  expenditure  at  once,  than  our  finances 
warranted,  and  because  it  would  delay  the  opening  and  actual 
operation  of  the  Seminary. 

A  second  plan  was,  to  select  the  best  possible  location 
which  could  be  found  in  the  city  itself;  regardless  of  cost,  pro¬ 
vided  it  came  within  the  scope  of  reasonable  accomplishment. 


Such  a  site  has  been  selected.  It  is  located  in  the  Western 
Division  of  the  city,  on  Union  Park — the  largest  and  most 
beautiful  park  in  the  city — on  the  West  side,  opposite  the  cen¬ 
tre  of  the  park,  and  extending  from  Washington  street  to 
Park  Avenue.  This  location  was  purchased  because  it  was 
the  most  desirable  one  which  the  city  afforded  ;  because,  from 
its  proximity  to  the  Christian  families  of  the  city,  it  will, 
according  to  the  wishes  and  designs  of  the  Board,  enable  them 
to  dispense  with  the  dormitory  system  in  building,  and  be¬ 
cause  it  affords  to  our  students  access  to  the  churches,  sabbath 
schools,  and  missionary  operations  of  the  city — all  an  import¬ 
ant  element  in  their  education — because,  by  its  nearness,  it 
brings  the  Seminary  into  the  interest  and  sympathy  of  the 
liberal  and  Christian  men  in  the  city,  who  have  already  sub" 
scribed  more  than  $55,000  to  the  Seminary,  and  whose  liber¬ 
ality  in  its  behalf  is  only  partially  developed  as  yet. 

The  cost  of  this  location,  using  in  this  statement  round 
numbers,  is  $38,000.  By  payments  in  money  already  made, 
by  exchange  of  other  property,  and  by  the  subscriptions  of 
those  of  whom  the  purchase  was  made,  our  indebtedness  for 
the  location  has  been  reduced  to  $18,000.  The  largest  part 
of  this  is  already,  and  the  balance,  it  is  believed,  will  be  pro¬ 
vided  for  by  persons  in  the  city.  Much  of  this  is  done  by  men 
outside  our  denominational  limits,  and  who  were  interested  in 
the  Seminary  simply  because  of  its  location.  Some  of  the 
payments  for  the  location  fall  due  before  all  the  subscriptions  for 
this  special  object  are  due,  which  will  involve  a  temporary 
draft  on  the  General  Fund,  to  be  subsequently  replaced. 

4.  The  Board  have  not  yet  commenced  the  erection  of  any 
buildings  for  the  Seminary.  This  has  been  because  they  have 
determined  not  to  allow  themselves  to  be  embarrassed,  while 
yet  their  funds  have  not  reached  the  measure  of  an  ample 
endowment,  by  locking  them  up  in  buildings  ;  and  because 
they  are  disposed,  as  far  as  possible,  to  avoid  what  is  known 
as  the  dormitory  system ,  or  the  plan  of  gathering  students  in 
large  buildings  by  themselves — barracks  for  study  and  sleep. 
The  experience  of  colleges  and  of  other  Theological  Semi¬ 
naries  warns  us  against  this  as  of  doubtful  policy,  and  doubtful 


22 


economy  at  the  same  time.  So  much  of  a  minister’s  work 
and  usefulness  lies  in  the  social  plane  of  life,  that  the  Theo¬ 
logical  student,  instead  of  aggravating  and  confirming*  the 
untoward  tendencies  of  his  monastic  life  in  college  by  three 
years  more  of  life  in  that  method  during  his  course  of  Theo¬ 
logical  study,  needs  rather  to  be  thrown  into  the  domestic 
circles  of  intelligent  Christian  homes,  that  he  may  understand 
the  forces  among  which  he  is  to  work,  and  which  so  largely 
he  can  make  contributive  to  his  ultimate  object. 

The  Board  have  been,  in  their  individual  observations,  pain¬ 
fully  impressed  with  the  fact  that  so  large  a  number  of  minis¬ 
terial  dismissions  arise  from  a  misapprehension  of  the  social 
forces  at  work  in  a  parish — a  want  of  adjustment  to  those 
forces,  and  a  deficient  guidance  and  control  of  them,  arising 
largely  from  the  monastic  method  of  life  which  many  pursue 
in  college  and  the  seminary  during  the  eight  or  nine  years 
which  constitute  the  formative  period  of  their  lives.  A  sound 
policy,  therefore,  dissuades  the  Board  from  adopting  the  dor¬ 
mitory  system  in  this  Seminary.  And  a  wise  economy  leads 
to  the  same  result.  Our  Lecture  Term  being  of  only  seven 
months’  duration,  the  dormitories  of  our  Seminary  would 
stand  empty  nearly  half  of  the  time,  and  in  the  same  propor¬ 
tion  would  be  unproductive  property. 

For  these  reasons  the  Board  deem  it  unadvisable  to  build, 
until  it  is  fairly  shown  whether  they  can  so  far  depend  upon 
the  Christian  families  of  this  city  for  homes  for  the  students, 
that  the  dormitory  system  can  be  dispensed  with,  in  which 
case,  needing  only  public  rooms,  the  expense  of  building  will 
be  greatly  reduced.  The  Board  suppose  that  their  disposition 
to  make  this  new  Seminary  distinguished  for  the  moral  forces 
embodied  in  it,  its  wise  course  of  training,  its  able  and  accom¬ 
plished  corps  of  instructors,  and  its  ample  library,  rather  than 
by  the  exhibition  to  the  eye  of  any  architectural  pile,  however 
admirable  in  itself,  will  meet  the  cordial  sympathy  and  ap¬ 
proval  of  the  churches  for  which  they  act.  In  this  conviction, 
while  they  have  given  not  a  little  thought,  in  conjunction  with 
capable  architects,  to  the  study  of  a  design  which  shall  fur¬ 
nish  the  Seminary  with  all  needful  accommodations,  they  will 


* 


not  peril  the  interests  of  the  Seminary,  or  impair  its  success, 
by  undue  zeal  to  erect  its  visible  walls.  They  will  be  under 
the  less  temptation  so  to  do,  inasmuch  as  the  present  accomo¬ 
dations  of  the  Seminary,  in  the  ample  rooms  of  the  First 
Congregational  Church,  so  adequately  meet  its  incipient 
wants. 

5.  For  a  minute  acquaintance  with  the  finances  of  the 
Seminary,  the  Convention  is  referred  to  an  exhibit  thereof  to 
be  presented  by  the  treasurer,  L.  D.  Olmsted,  Esq.,  whose 
time,  office  and  ability  as  a  business  man,  are  afforded  to  the 
Seminary  as  a  gratuity  which  the  Board  highly  appreciate. 

In  the  judgment  of  the  Board,  the  full  endowment  of  the 
Seminary  will  require  the  sum  of  $250,000,  and  a  much  larger 
sum  could  be  profitably  used.  More  than  half  of  this  amount 
has  been  secured.  This  has  been  given  in  notes,  money,  and 
lands.  It  is  confidently  expected  by  the  Board  that  the 
amount  needed  will  be  secured  when  all  our  churches  shall 
have  done  their  fair  proportion ;  certainly  it  will,  if  those  yet 
to  be  solicited  shall  devise  as  liberal  things  for  this  institution 
as  have  the  125  churches  alreadv  canvassed. 

The  funds  of  the  Seminarv  are  divided  into  two  classes. 

i/ 

First,  the  Permanent  Fund.  Second,  the  General  Fund. 
Each  donor,  at  the  time  he  makes  his  obligation  or  donation 
to  the  Seminary,  elects  whether  it  shall  belong  to  the  Per¬ 
manent  or  the  General  Fund.  The  Permanent  Fund  is  never 
to  be  expended.  The  interest  or  income  of  it  only  can  be  used, 
and  for  the  specific  purpose  determined  by  the  donor  at  the 
time  of  making  his  donation.  It  can  never  be  used  for  any 
other  purpose  than  the  one  specified,  except  by  mutual  con¬ 
sent  of  the  donor  and  the  Seminarv.  The  General  Fund, 
whether  principal  or  interest,  can  be  used  for  any  of  the  pur¬ 
poses  of  the  Seminary.  The  Permanent  Fund,  thus  far 
secured,  apart  from  specific  contributions  to  the  Location 
Fund,  consists  in  the  endowment  of  two  Professorships,  and 
five  or  six  Scholarships.  The  endowments  of  neither  of  the 
Professorships  are  yet  productive  and  available.  The  Scholar¬ 
ships  are  only  partly  productive  and  available. 


21 


In  consequence,  to  have  the  Seminary  in  operation,  and  in  fact, 
to  do  anything  for  the  accomplishment  of  their  organization, 
the  Board  must  use  the  General  Fund.  With  this  fund  they 
hope  to  secure  the  location,  erect  a  suitable  building,  purchase 
a  library,  and  maintain  the  Seminary,  until  the  Permanent 
Fund  is  increased  and  made  available,  so  as  to  constitute  the 
permanent  endowment  of  the  Seminary. 

6.  When  we  trace  to  their  origin  the  men  that  for  good 
have  made  their  mark  in  the  world,  especially  the  men  who 
have  been  of  profit  in  the  ministry,  we  find  that  a  large  por¬ 
tion  of  them  are  sons  in  families  of  indigence,  rather  than  sons 
in  families  of  opulence — sons  of  men  who  have  trained  them 
to  labor,  to  contend  with  difficulties,  and  to  clear  their  way  to 
triumph  by  severe  and  manly  contest — rather  than  sons  of 
those  who  have  abated  the  vigor  of  their  manhood  by  the 
effeminating  luxuries  and  the  rusting  idleness  possible  to  the 
wealthy.  In  this  view,  it  is  no  strange  thing  that  young  men, 
in  preparing  for  the  ministry,  need  pecuniary  aid.  To  a  large 
extent  is  this  true  of  the  students  that  have  already  entered 

our  Seminary. 

«/ 

The  need  of  ministerial  service  and  the  success  of  our 
Seminary,  urge  upon  every  Christian  in  our  churches  the 
necessity  of  making  provision  in  aid  of  indigent  students. 
Wisely  have  some  done  this,  in  establishing  scholarships  in 
our  Seminary — not  in  payment  of  tuition,  because  that,  as  in 
all  Theological  Seminaries,  is  free — but  a  scholarship  is 
SI, 000,  a  Permanent  Fund,  bearing  the  name  of  the  donor, 
and  handing  it  down  in  grateful  remembrance.  The  interest 
of  this  Scholarship  is  appropriated  annually  by  the  donor, 
while  he  lives,  through  the  directors  of  the  Seminary,  to  an 
indigent  student,  for  the  expenses  of  books,  board,  clothing  or 
travel.  A  scholarship  thus  established  is,  or  may  be,  perpetu¬ 
ally  educating  men  for  the  ministry,  every  third  year  putting 
one  into  the  ministerial  office  who,  without  such  aid,  could  not 
have  been  a  minister.  In  the  number  thus  turned  into  the 
sacred  office ;  in  the  missionaries,  home  and  foreign,  thus  edu¬ 
cated  ;  in  the  results  of  their  labors,  the  revivals  enjoyed,  and 


the  souls  saved,  the  one  establishing  such  a  scholarship  may, 
from  some  point  yet  to  be  attained  in  eternity,  see  that  in  the 
establishment  of  such  a  scholarship,  he  has  done  more  for  the 
salvation  of  the  world,  and  for  the  glory  of  Christ — laid  up 
greater  treasure  in  heaven — than  in  all  the  rest  he  has  done 
after  submitting  his  heart  to  God. 

Comparatively  few  of  the  Christians  in  our  churches,  per¬ 
haps,  can  do  this.  But  the  many  can  do  something  annually  in 
aid  of  indigent  students,  and  this  is  a  Christian  work  to  which 
God,  in  the  unfolding  of  his  plans,  has  now  brought  us. 

At  first  it  was  thought  best  to  form  a  Northwestern  Educa¬ 
tion  Society,  auxiliary  to  the  American  Education  Society. 
Then  it  was  doubted  whether  it  was  wise  to  start  the  machinery 
of  a  large  society  until  our  churches  had  become  interested  in 


the  object  to  be  accomplished.  For  this  purpose,  Educational 
Committees  have  been  appointed  by  the  General  Associations 
in  four  of  our  Northwestern  states,  whose  aim  is  to  collect  and 
disburse  aid  to  young  men  studying  for  the  ministry,  and 
needing  pecuniary  aid.  Belying  upon  this  aid,  the  Board 
have  made  promises  of  help  to  about  three  fourths  of  the 
young  men  in  our  Seminary. 

Correspondence  also  has  been  had  with  the  American  Edu¬ 
cation  Society,  at  Boston,  to  see  if  aid  could  be  secured  for 
our  needy  students.  That  society  will  be  represented  in  the 
meetings  of  this  week  by  Rev.  I.  P.  Langworthy,  especially 
deputed  for  this  purpose ;  and  it  is  hoped  that  some  plan  of 
co-operation  may  be  devised  by  which  aid  may  be  secured  for 
our  students,  and  our  churches  become  interested  in  the  wise 
and  noble  aim  of  the  American  Education  Society. 


7.  The  announcement  of  the  opening  of  our  Seminary 

could  not  be  made  till  last  May.  At  that  time,  most  of  the 

«/ 

students  about  to  graduate  from  the  colleges  in  our  land  had 
already  selected  some  other  Theological  Seminary.  The  con¬ 
viction  that  everything  here  would  be  in  an  immature  state, 
led  some  to  prefer  older  institutions.  Besides,  the  education 
of  a  ministry  from  the  sons  of  our  churches  had  not  seriously, 

and  for  a  sufficient  length  of  time  to  be  visible  in  results,  en- 
4 


26 


terecl  into  the  designs  and  experience  of  our  churches.  Hence 
but  few  students  in  the  West  were  prepared  to  enter  our 
Seminary. 

It  was  seen,  therefore,  that  it  would  he  necessary  to  giye 
time  to  an  extensive  correspondence,  and  to  a  personal  visit 
ation  of  some,  if  a  respectable  number  of  students  were  ob¬ 
tained.  Correspondence  was  had  with  sixty-six  young  men,  at 
the  East  and  in  the  West,  who  were  understood  to  design  a 
course  of  Theological  Study  and  to  be  prepared  for  it.  Of 
these,  twenty  are  in  the  Seminary,  and  eight  more  are  confi¬ 
dently  expected  within  a  week  or  two.  If  these  expectations 
are  realized  there  will  be  six  Seniors,  thirteen  regular  Juniors, 
and  nine  Juniors  in  the  special  course — making  twenty-eight. 

The  young'  men  who  will  form  our  senior  class  when  fully 
organized,  who  have  left  Andover  and  Union  Seminaries, 
partly  that  they  might  aid  in  organizing  classes  in  our  Semin¬ 
ary,  have  also  left  behind  them  charities  and  facilities  for 
aiding  themselves  which  we  cannot  yet  put  within  their  reach, 
and  for  this  they  deserve  well  at  the  hands  of  the  friends  of 
our  Seminary. 

d 

There  is  also  another  view  of  the  case.  These  young  men 
intend  to  labor  in  the  West.  They  wish,  in  consequence,  to 
identify  themselves  with  Western  interests;  to  adapt  them¬ 
selves  to  the  spirit  of  the  West,  and  to  become  acquainted 
with  our  ministers  and  churches.  This  illustrates  a  tendency 
of  forces  which,  while  some  W estern  students  will  still  go  to 
Eastern  seminaries,  will  leave  the  result  of  such  exchanges  in 
our  favor. 

Before  leaving  this  matter  of  students,  the  Board  wish  es¬ 
pecially  to  commend  to  their  brethren  in  the  ministry,  and  to 
the  Delegates  of  the  Churches  in  this  Convention,  the  work  of 
stirring  up  the  minds  of  Christian  young  men  in  their  several 
churches  to  give  themselves  to  the  work  of  the  ministry.  What 
is  life  for  but  the  purposes  of  human  salvation  ? 

W e  know  that  there  are  untoward  influences  deterring  men 

n 

from  this  sacred  calling :  the  gainful  avocations  of  worldly  en¬ 
terprise,  catching  the  eye  and  alluring  the  hearts  of  our  young 


men ;  the  secular  spirit  of  the  age,  counting  those  the  greatest 
heroes  who  achieve  command  of  nature’s  material  forces,  and 
work  them  most  profitably ;  the  deficient  piety  of  the  churches, 
which  has  failed  to  carry  the  thoughts  of  our  Christian  young 
men  up  to  that  point  where  they  can  see  and  feel  the  motives 
that  lead  men  to  become  preachers  of  the  gospel ;  the  manner 
in  which  some  churches  have  treated  ministers,  often  an  inad¬ 
equate  support — by  some  doled  out  as  a  charity — then  some¬ 
times  sending  him  adrift  because  he  has  built  the  church  up  to 
that  point  where  it  can  command  a  more  popular  preacher. 

There  are  laws  at  work  in  society,  slowly  but  terribly  retri¬ 
butive,  whereby,  through  the  causes  just  cited,  many  have 
been  turned  away  from  the  ministry  who  should  have  entered 
it,  and,  in  consequence,  some  have  entered  the  ministry  who 
never  should ;  on  both  of  which  accounts  the  churches  have  to 
mourn. 

Yet,  despite  all  these  hindrances,  we  are  assured  that  God 
will  have  a  ministry.  His  promise  to  be  with  them  to  the 
end  of  the  world  involves  this.  There  is  a  piety  that  can 
produce  them.  It  is  reasonable  to  expect  that  the  remarkable 
revivals,  with  which  God  of  late  has  blessed  our  churches,  will 
turn  many  into  the  ministry.  If  not,  then  there  must  be 
other  revivals,  and  of  greater  power.  God  has  forces  to  com¬ 
pass  this  end.  Let  him  clear  the  vision  of  a  man’s  faith,  so 
that  he  shall  see  life  in  the  true  perspective  of  the  future — the 
connection  between  life  here  and  hereafter,  in  its  details;  let 
that  man  abide  by  the  cross,  till  he  shall  understand  its  import 
and  feel  its  power,  and  he  will  preach,  if  he  can,  though  he 
may  have  to  contend  through  life  with  such  hindrances  as 
Paul  met. 

There  are  reasons  for  entering  the  Christian  ministry  which 
regenerated  young  men  can  appreciate.  We  know  that  other 
professions  have  their  reward,  though  they  often  pertain 
wholly  to  this  life.  We  know  the  man  of  wealth  has  a  joy  in 
using  his  means  in  aid  of  enterprises  that  conduce  to  human 
welfare,  and  in  aid  of  sufferings  caused  by  poverty.  IIow 

else  could  business  stand  redeemed  from  contemptible  sordid¬ 
ness  ? 


But  in  human  life  there  are  no  such  wants  or  fears  as  the 
sense  of  sin  awakens  ;  no  such  disturbing  anxieties  as  thoughts 
of  God  and  eternity  awaken ;  no  longings  so  intense  as  those 
excited  in  the  soul  by  its  desire  for  peace  with  conscience  and 
God.  It  is  with  these  the  minister  has  to  do;  to  stir  these 
fears  and  excite  these  longings  in  souls  else  dead  to  life  and  its 
true  aims,  then  to  allay  them  by  leading  such  souls  to  Christ  : 
this  transcends  all  joy  save  that  of  angels  over  the  repenting 
sinner. 

Taking  life  in  its  largest  sense,  finding  its  chief  value  in  its 
education  for  heaven,  and  there  is  no  secular  calling  compara- 
able  to  a  minister’s.  Christian  young  men  can  see  this,  and  will 

fJ  o 

see  it.  AY e  may  make  our  appeal  to  them  in  the  sure  and 
earnest  faith  that  their  hearts  shall  respond  to  it. 

The  Board  would  also  urge  upon  the  brethren  of  the  Con¬ 
vention,  that  they  exercise  their  liberty  of  a  sound  discretion 
and  a  cautious  discrimination  in  counselling  voting  men  to 
prepare  for  the  ministry.  Something  more  than  a  lovely  spirit, 
something  more  than  ardent  piety  is  requisite  in  the  candidate 
for  the  ministry.  According  to  the  philosophy  of  Sidney 
Smith,  square  men  must  he  put  into  square  holes,  and  round 
men  into  round  holes.  Xo  theological  seminary  can  educate 
able,  or  even  profitable  ministers  out  of  men,  when  God's  plan 
of  their  lives  designed  them  for  other  uses. 

8.  The  Board  now  broach  a  nutter  to  them  of  deep  inter¬ 
est  and  painful  anxiety.  They  have  assumed  heavy  responsi¬ 
bilities.  They  have  not  only  made  pledges  of  aid  to  students, 
but  upon  faith  in  the  pledges  made  to  themselves  in  the  shape 
of  legal  and  valid  notes,  they  have  invited  to  the  Board  of 
Instruction  one  man  from  a  distant  college,  where  life  was 
profitable  and  pleasant  to  himself  and  others ;  and  another 
from  a  like  position  in  a  college  nearer  by;  and  also  a  third 
from  a  pastorate  full  of  hope  and  profit  to  himself  and  his 
church.  These  men  compose  our  Board  of  Instructors.  It 
became  them,  as  wise  and  judicious  men,  to  question  the  Board 
as  to  their  pecuniary  reliances.  In  the  examination  it  was 
found  that,  traced  to  its  source,  all  hinged  upon  the  faith  and 


29 


covenant  keeping  of  tlie  individual  Christians  who  had  given 
us  their  notes.  They  questioned  us  as  to  whether  faith  could 
he  put  in  the  makers  of  these  notes,  as  covenant  keeping  men. 
In  the  trust  that  they  would  warrant  it,  we  reported  our  firm 
reliance  in  the  integrity  and  ability  of  our  subscribers  as  a 
whole. 

The  Board  can  only  be  the  almoners  of  those  who  have  ap¬ 
pointed  us  to  take  their  notes,  call  upon  them  to  honor  the 
same,  and  for  them  to  carry  forward  this  enterprise.  As  a 
corporation,  we  cannot  borrow  money  wherewith  to  fulfill  our 
engagements.  We  can  live  only  as  we  are  fed,  day  by  day, 
according  to  the  bill  of  fare  which  the  notes  given  us  constitute. 
Every  subscriber  withholding  his  payment  after  due,  withholds 
our  daily  aliment.  Circumstances  may  arise  which  would 
originally  have  warranted  a  subscriber  in  declining  to  give  his 
note.  But  now  that  the  note  is  given,  that  liabilities  have 
been  assumed  by  the  Board,  in  reliance  on  the  payment  of 
that  note,  such  payment  cannot  be  withheld  with  impunity 
or  safety.  It  is  a  free  will  offering  before  the  Lord,  concerning 
which  God  hath  said:  “When  thou  vowest  a  vow  unto  God, 
defer  not  to  pay  it,  for  he  hath  no  pleasure  in  fools.  Better 
not  vow,  than  that  thou  sliouldst  vow  and  not  pay.”  Eccles. 
v.,  4,  5. 

9.  One  other  subject  the  Board  wish  to  present,  the  work 
in  which  we  are  engaged  as  affecting  the  general  tone  of  piety 
in  our  churches.  It  is  in  proof  of  the  divine  wisdom,  that  the 
true  and  healthful  development  of  Christian  life  is  affected 
only  by  that  entire  round  of  work  to  which  the  Lord  has  set 
us.  A  part  of  this  is  educating  a  ministry  to  which  as  west¬ 
ern  churches,  till  now,  we  had  not  addressed  ourselves.  And 
this  fact  came  about  naturally  enough.  In  the  business  plane 
of  life  there  prevailed  the  feeling  that  the  development  of  the 
material  wealth  of  the  west,  lay  at  the  foundation  of  all  other 
sorts  of  progress.  So  it  was,  the  first  thing  to  be  done  was 
to  get  the  means  of  livelihood  and  to  set  at  work  the  elements 
of  civilization.  The  relentless  appointments  ot  hunger  and 
cold,  the  resistless  urgencies  of  life  and  growth  forbade  post- 


30 


ponment  of  work  in  this  business  plane  of  life,  and  for  this 
we  needed  all  our  young  men. 

Our  failure  hitherto  to  educate  a  ministry  finds  some  excuse 
in  the  necessities  arising  from  the  settlement  of  a  new  country. 
But  this  is  not  a  normal  Christian  life  as  its  untoward  results 
will  show.  This  method  of  life  naturally  enough  fostered  a 
spirit  of  worldly  enterprise.  The  most  of  life  lay  in  that 
plane.  Xot  only  did  prudence  urge  unremitting  toil  in  the 
enterprises  of  business  as  the  first  condition  of  all  better  im¬ 
provement  ;  but  in  many  minds  it  gave  mammonism  the  dig¬ 
nity  of  a  virtue.  This  was  stimulated  by  its  success ;  till  the 
whole  tone  of  society  with  us  in  the  west  has  become  intense¬ 
ly  secular,  affording  in  this  a  broad  contrast  with  other  times 
and  other  places. 

Such  is  the  atmosphere  in  which  we  have  had  our  Christian 
life,  and  it  will  not  be  thought  strange  if  our  spiritual  health 
has  thereby  been  damaged.  And  one  alarming  token  of  this 
is  that  our  Christian  parents  are  sending  out  all  their  sons  into 
this  fanaticism  of  business,  and  none  as  it  were,  to  the  great 
work  which  God  is  seeking  to  get  done  in  the  world — for 
which  the  world  stands — its  salvation. 

These  are  not  the  conditions  in  which  earnest  prayer  will 
go  up  to  the  Lord  of  the  harvest  to  send  forth  laborers  into 
the  harvest :  nor  in  which  such  prayer  will  be  accompanied 
with  a  consecration  of  self  or  sons  to  the  ministry  as  the  high- 
est  dignity  and  noblest  mission  of  life.  It  is  not  strange  that 
such  praying  has  fallen  out  of  use  in  our  churches.  Isor  is  it 
strange  that  the  Lord  should  blow  upon  our  fictions  of  wealth 
and  scatter  them  as  within  the  past  year,  while  he  leaves 
whatever  solidity  it  had  with  which  to  do  a  better  service.  * 

There  are  views  of  life  and  its  purposes,  forms  of  Chris¬ 
tian  experience,  a  fulness  of  Christian  life,  needful  in  all  our 
churches,  initiative  of  the  millenium,  yet  impossible  if  as 
western  churches  we  know  not  what  it  is  to  give  of  our  sons 
to  the  ministry  and  educate  them  for  it.  All  other  consider- 

a/ 

ations  aside,  here  are  reasons  enough  why  we  should  endow 
this  Seminary. 

m 


31 


Brethren  of  the  Convention,  having  the  fashioning  of  a 
new  order  of  things  put  into  our  hands  at  the  west,  may  God 
give  us  wisdom  to  comprehend  our  mission — to  see  that  it  falls 
in  with  the  progress  hitherto  made,  that,  in  taking  possession 
of  this  new  world  of  the  west,  we  attain  to  a  ripeness  and  ma¬ 
turity  of  Christian  character — also  to  a  profitableness  of  Chris¬ 
tian  action  not  before  reached;  as  our  Pilgrim  Fathers  so 
largely  unfolded  in  the  life  and  history  of  hTew  England  what 
they  brought  over  in  the  May  Flower  only  as  germs. 


* 


32 


REPORT  OF  THE  TREASURER  TO  THE  BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS. 


TO  THE  BOARD  OB  DIRECTORS  OB  THE  CHICAGO 
THEOLOGICAL  UNIVERSITY,  tliis  Report  of  tlie  Treas¬ 
urer,  for  tlie  period,  from  April  lotli,  18c5S,  to  October  20th, 
1858,  is  respectfully  submitted. 


Tlie  financial  condition  of  tlie  Institution,  as  shown  by  my 
report  of  April  15th,  1358,  which  was  the  regular  annual  re¬ 
port  from  the  treasury,  was  as  follows : 

The  gross  amount  of  subscription  notes  received 
for  the  general  purposes  of  the  Institution, 
and  for  particular  objects  connected  with  the 
Institution,  as  shown  by  the  report  referred 
to,  was  ........  $96,117  00 

Amount  paid  up  to  that  date,  .  .  .  12,907  18 

Amount  remaining  unpaid,  ....  83,509  82 

Other  assets  of  the  Institution,  including  real 

estate  and  other  property,  ....  82,132  10 

$165,611  92 

Total  liabilities  of  the  Institution,  as  shown  by 

the  same  report,  ......  23,770  00 

$111,871  92 

* 

The  following  are  the  changes  and  additions  from  April 
15th,  1858,  to  October  20th,  1858. 

Subscription  notes  received: 

By  Rev.  A.  S.  Kedzie,  for  general  purposes 

I)o.  do.  for  Deerpark  Scholarship 

Total,  .... 

Subscription  notes  collected  by  Rev.  AT.  II.  Eg¬ 
gleston,  for  general  purposes, 

Do.  do.  for  Clinton  and  Shopiere 

Scholarship,  ....... 


7,122  00 
1,050  00 

$8,172  00 
1,215  00 
810  00 


$10,299  00 


3 


o 

o 


This  amount,  added  to  the  balance  as  shown 
April  15th,  1858,  would  make  the  present 
balance  amount  to,  ..... 
Less,  some  charges  in  Investment  account,  as 
shown  by  the  books,  .  . 


Less,  receipts  on  Bills  Receivable  account  since 
April  15th,  1858,  ...... 

Less,  notes  ordered  given  up  by  the  Executive 
Committee,  on  account  of  the  poverty  of  the 

promisors,  ....... 

Balance,  . 

To  which  add : 

Donations  received  through  Rev.  A.  S.  Ivedzie, 
from  sundries,  ...... 

Do.  do.  from  Hon.W.  J.  Phelps, 

of  Elnwood,  Illinois,  ..... 

Additions  to  the  Library,  costing  . 

Received  for  interest  on  subscription  notes,  and 
loans  ordered  made  by  the  Executive  Com¬ 
mittee,  ........ 

Cash  in  treasury,  October  20tli,  1858,  not  added 
in  the  above  items,  ..... 

Balance  to  credit  of  the  Seminary, 


$152,168 

92 

38 

32 

$152,130 

60 

3,322 

49 

130 

00 

$148,678 

11 

27 

00 

200 

00 

267 

79 

121 

27 

180 

04 

$149,474. 

,21 

October  20 th,  1858. 


o 


% 


INAUGURATION  SERVICES. 


The  inauguration  of  Rev.  Joseph  IT  a  vex,  as  Professsor  of 
Systematic  Theologv,  took  place  on  "Wednesday  evening  Oct. 
20th,  in  the  First  Baptist  church,  which  had  been  kindly  grant¬ 
ed  for  the  occasion,  and  which  was  chosen,  because  of  its  cen¬ 
tral  position.  The  services  were  as  follows :  Invocation  by 
Rev.  J.  C.  Holbrook,  of  Dubuque.  Iowa;  Declaration  of 
Eaith  by  the  Professor  Elect;  Charge  by  Rev.  H.  D.  Iaitchel, 
D.  D.,  of  Detroit,  Mich.,  President  of  the  Board;  Inaugurating 
Prayer  bv  Rev.  T.  M.  Post,  D.  D.  of  St.  Louis,  Mo :  Inaugu- 
ral  Address  by  Prof.  Havex. 

The  inauguration  of  Rev.  Samuel  C.  Bartlett,  as  Professor 
of  Biblical  Literature,  took  place  at  the  First  Baptist  church  on 
Thursday  evenino*,  October  21st,  with  the  following  services ; 
Invocation  by  Rev.  F.  Bascom,  of  Dover,  Ill.;  Declaration  of 
Eaith  by  the  Professor  Elect;  Charge  by  the  President  of  the 
Board;  Inaugurating  Prayer  by  Rev.  L.  Smith  Hobart,  of 
Hudson,  Mich.;  Inaugural  Address  by  Prof.  Bartlett. 

J  J  CD  V 


35 


DR.  KITCHEL’S  CHARGE 

TO 

PROFESSOR  HAVEN. 


My  dear  Brother, — The  cherished  hope  and  prayer  of  many 
hearts,  through  years  of  counsel  and  effort,  to-day  ripen,  by 
the  blessing  of  God,  into  visible  fulfillment.  By  the  choice 
of  the  Board  of  Directors,  and  by  your  act  of  acceptance,  you 
stand  before  us  representing  our  long  purposed  School  of 
Theology — no  longer  a  devout  wish  merely,  no  longer  a  covet¬ 
ed  possibility  in  the  future,  no  longer  a  consummation  pursued, 
ever  retreating,  through  many  obstructions ;  we  see  in  you 
the  first  fruits  of  a  realized  fruition.  I  congratulate  my 
brethren,  with  devout  thankfulness  that  now  at  last  our  three 
years’  purpose,  and  prayer  and  endeavor  take  form,  and  we 
inaugurate  in  you  our  long  sought  School  of  the  Prophets. 

And  now,  my  Brother,  in  the  name  of  our  Churches,  as 
the  organ  of  the  Board  of  Directors,  we  give  into  your  hands 
largely  the  guidance  and  tuition  of  this  Seminary.  What  we 
entrust  to  you  is  very  dear  to  our  hearts,  the  object  of  our  un¬ 
wearied  solicitude,  our  well-weighed  purpose,  our  ripest 
thought  for  the  service  of  Christ  and  Ilis  Church.  Discerning 
the  times,  we  count  this  now  the  work  which  our  Israel  should 
do.  The  time  has  fully  come  for  these  Churches  to  provide  for 
a  supply  of  Christian  Teachers.  It  is  the  mark  of  each  vital 
and  mature  organism,  that,  at  length,  it  not  only  spends  it¬ 
self  in  growth,  but  proves  itself  every  wav  self-edifying,  self- 
propagating,  bears  seed  after  its  kind,  and  matures  from  within 
whatsoever  it  needs  for  self-sustentation  and  fruitfulness.  We 
have  reached  that  point.  Our  system  of  Churches  can  no 
longer  afford  the  condition  of  colonial  dependence.  W e  can 
no  longer  safely  look  to  foreign  sources  for  our  Ministry.  And 
with  the  Divine  Blessing  we  propose  through  this  Seminary 


36 


to  develope  in  our  Churches  this  ripe  function,  this  faculty  of 

Teaching,  wherewith  God  has  gifted  every  true  Church  ;  and 
here  we  propose  to  train  our  called  and  consecrated  ones  for 

the  service  of  Christ  in  the  ministry. 

Installing  you  now,  my  Brother,  as  Professor  of  Christian 
Theology  in  this  Seminary,  I  charge  you  in  the  name  of  these 
Churches : 

First  of  all,  that  in  the  whole  matter  and  manner  of  Doctrine 
which  you  inculcate,  you  keep  close  to  the  mind  of  the  Lord 
in  the  sure  word.  Be  yourself  taught  of  God  in  all  you  teach. 

With  all  diligence  and  prayer  search  out  and  teach  what,  in 
the  most  critical  exploration  of  the  Inspired  Becord,  in  the 
lights  of  all  sacred  scholarship,  from  the  last  results  of  bi¬ 
blical  literature  and  a  reverent  philosophy,  and  from  a  calm, 
studious  and  comprehensive  survey  of  divine  truth,  at  once 
large,  liberal,  and  close  to  the  word,  what  is  this  Gospel  of  our 
Lord.  Unfold  this,  stand  with  your  pupils  at  the  cross,  as  your 
centre,  where  all  truths  meet,  and  explore  from  thence  every 
avenue  of  doctrine  and  duty. 

Weigh  well,  with  modesty,  yet  with  freedom,  whatever  the 
good  and  great  have  propounded  touching  the  scheme  of 
Christian  Doctrine. 

Be  docile,  nothing  fearing,  in  bonds  to  none.  Search  all 
things  and  hold  fast  to  truth  wherever  von  find  it. 

o  *y 

You  accept  with  us  this  Declaration  of  Faith ;  but  we  do  not 
conclude  you  in  these  or  any  human  formularies.  You  accept 
it  with  us  a  declaratory  act,  and  as  we  do  not  accept  it  for  our¬ 
selves,  so  neither  do  we  impose  it  upon  you  a  fetter  of  thought 
or  a  finality  of  faith.  AY e  hold  you  to  no  school  in  Theology 
or  Philosophy.  AYe  have  come  to  this  faith  by  wav  of  Geneva 

-L  c/  %J 

and  Yew  England,  and  the  way  we  love  well.  But  we  hold 
you  not  to  Calvin,  or  even  to  Yew  England.  We  too  have 
the  Word  which  alone  is  sure,  and  to  us  also  the  inspiration 
of  the  Almighty  will  give  wisdom.  Have  open  ear  and  heart 
then,  and  beyond  all  creeds  and  through  all  voices  listen  for 
the  voice  of  the  Lord. 

Moreover  I  charge  you,  my  Brother,  enter  with  us  into  an 
earnest  appreciation  of  the  work  which  God  has  here  given 


us  to  do.  Cast  in  your  lot,  and  become  intimately  one  with  us 
in  our  Christian  aims  and  in  consecration  to  the  same  great 
interests. 

Never  before  was  a  field  laid  open  to  Christian  enterprise 
so  vast  and  ripe  in  its  wants,  and  so  noble  in  promise.  On  us 
the  ends  of  the  world  have  come.  Here  are  more  than  600 
Churches  of  our  order  already  in  being,  in  some  sort  segre¬ 
gated  as  a  system  of  Churches  by  themselves,  in  sympathy 
with  us,  the  legitimate  constituency  of  this  Seminary,  and  open 
doors  are  on  every  side.  Every  year  will  yield  large  accessions 
to  this  number  of  our  Churches.  Now,  my  Brother,  we 
charge  and  entreat  you,  take  this  great  field  upon  your  heart 
with  us.  We  have  devised  this  School  of  Theology  to  meet 
the  imminent  wants  of  this  field,  to  elicit  the  self-supplying 
faculty  in  these  churches,  and  to  train  for  them  a  Ministry 
eminently  adapted  to  their  condition.  And  upon  you  we  de¬ 
volve  a  foremost  and  vital  share  in  this  undertaking. 


Among  these  Churches  is  every  variety  in  respect  to  con¬ 
dition  and  culture.  They  run  through  even  a  wider  scale  of 
variety  than  the  Churches  in  older  regions.  And  every 
variety  of  Ministerial  qualities  and  gifts  is  demanded  among 
them.  There  is  no  ripeness  of  scholarly  culture,  no  breadth 
of  mind  or  force  of  character  that  will  not  find  fit  field  among 


us.  If  anywhere  on  earth  the  choicest  endowments  of  nature 
and  training  are  needed,  it  is  in  a  Ministry  whom  God  is  call- 
ing  here  to  shape  the  infancy  of  vast  Christian  communities 
and  to  lay  the  foundations  of  a  future  such  as  rushes  upon  us 
here.  It  is  not  here  and  there  a  Church  only  that  needs  a 
man  of  cultivated  completeness  and  gracious  strength,  but  the 
whole  work  craves  such,  the  whole  field  cries  aloud  for  them. 


There  is  not  a  fit  field  in  all  the  West  for  a  weakling,  or  a 
novice,  or  an  ignorant  and  unskilled  Minister.  Strive  to  give 
us  from  under  your  tuition  men  thoroughly  furnished  to  this 
work,  versed  in  divine  knowlege,  girt  with  the  completest 
panoply  of  theological  culture. 

But  we  charge  you  to  consider  well  that,  along  with  this 
ample  theological  equipment,  this  is  a  field  eminently  demand- 


ing  a  cultivated  practical  talent — men  of  executive  force  and 
working  facultv,  in  whose  hands  all  stores  of  knowledge  and 
systematized  truth  shall  be  keen  and  ready  weapons  for  their 
Christian  warfare.  Truth  lias  its  speculative  and  its  practical 
side.  Let  it  be  from  your  lips  no  arid  and  barren  theory,  hut 
God's  wisdom  and  power  for  salvation.  Teach  these  great 
truths  as  so  many  divine  powers,  all  warm  from  the  Infinite 
Heart  and  palpitating  with  an  infinite  meaning  and  energy. 

Put  Truth  ever  in  its  practical  form,  as  vital  and  pertinent 
to  an  imminent  purpose,  as  touching  all  round  about  on  the 
needs  of  a  perishing  world. 

AY e  charge  you,  bathe  all  your  teachings  in  the  quick  sym¬ 
pathies  of  a  heart-felt  piety.  Be  yourself  that  consecrate 
man  of  love  and  prayer  and  holy  zeal  which  you  would  have 
your  pupils  to  he.  For,  hear  ever  in  mind,  my  dear  Brother, 
that  in  this  office  which  the  Churches  now  commit  to  you, 
what  you  essentially  are  as  a  Christian  and  as  a  man,  in  your 
inmost  style  of  thought,  spirit,  and  aim,  that,  in  their  measure 
your  pupils  will  also  become.  Your  mark  will  he  on  them,  and 
soon  through  them  some  character  of  you  will  come  to  the 
churches.  It  is  the  point  of  our  highest  trust  and  the  pledge 
of  our  confidence  in  you,  that  we  give  into  your  hands  the 
shaping  of  those  who,  under  God,  are  to  shape  us  all.  Our 
confidence  is  entire.  AVe  cordially  welcome  you  to  this  trust. 

Be  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  our  love.  You  have  the 
gift  of  instruction — you  have  the  treasures  of  experience 
in  teaching.  Give  us  these  helps  for  our  great  work.  And 
we  in  all  these  Churches  will  enfold  you  in  our  Christian 
sympathies  and  hear  you  and  this  Seminary  in  our  love  and 
prayer.  May  the  Anointing  of  the  Great  Teacher  he  upon 
you  for  this  service. 


THEOLOGY  AS  A  SCIENCE: 


ITS 


DIGNITY  AND  VALUE. 

\ 

AN 

I  U  G  IT  IT  TV  E  ADDRESS, 


DELIVERED  WEDNESDAY,  OCT  20,  1858, 


BY  REV.  JOSEPH  HAVEN, 


PROFESSOR  OF  SYSTEMATIC  THEOLOGY  IN  CHICAGO  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY. 


. 


• 

41 


ADDRESS. 


w  lien  one  enters  upon  the  duties  of  a  new  and  responsible 
office,  especially  when  a  new  institution  opens  its  doors,  and 
invites  the  educated  and  Christian  intellect  of  the  land  to  resort 
thither  for  professional  training  and  instruction,  it  is  expected 
of  him  who  enters  upon  such  duties,  that  he  shall  set  forth  in 
some  sort  the  claims  of  that  department  which  he  comes  to 
teach,  binding,  with  pious  hand,  what  little  wreath  he  can 
about  the  altar  at  which  he  is  to  serve. 

I  am  to  speak,  then,  on  this  occasion,  of  systematic  theo¬ 
logy.  And  what,  then,  is  The^ogy  ?  Is  it  a  science,  and  in 
what  sense  ?  Is  it  a  progressive  science  ?  What  is  its  rank, 
as  such,  in  the  scale  of  sciences  ?  What,  also,  its  practical 
value  and  importance  ?  These  questions  demand  answer  in 
the  present  discourse.  I  shall  undertake  to  show  that  theology 
is  a  science /  that  it  is  a  progressive  science;  that  it  is  of  the 
highest  rank  and  dignity,  as  such ;  that  it  is,  also,  of  highest 
practical  value  ana l  importance. 

I.  Theology  is  a  science.  This  is  evident  from  the  name 
itself;  from  any  and  every  correct  definition  of  the  same. 

What,  then,  is  theology  f  What  means  the  word  ?  Literally 
the  science  of  God.  In  a  wider  sense,  however,  I  understand 
by  theology  the  science  of  the  Christian  religion ;  the  systematic 
statement  of  the  principles  and  doctrines  of  the  Christian 
faith.  As  botany  is  the  science  which  explains  the  structure 
and  laws  of  the  vegetable  kingdom ;  as  astronomy  has  for  its 
object  to  unfold  the  arrangements  and  movements  of  the 
heavenly  bodies  ;  as  psychology  is  the  science  of  the  human 

mind ;  so  theology  has  for  its  definite  aim  and  end  the  correct 

6 


42 


statement  of  those  great  truths  and  principles  which  constitute 
the  Christian  faith. 

But  here  we  are  met  by  the  objection,  that  religion,  and 
especially  the  Christian  religion,  is  entirely  and  eminently  a 
‘practical  thing,  not  a  matter  of  theory  and  speculation ;  not  a 
thing  to  be  learned  from  books,  or  taught  in  schools  ;  not,  in 
fact,  of  the  nature  of  science  at  all — a  simple  matter  of  the 
heart,  and  not  of  the  head.  It  becomes  necessary,  then,  at 
the  outset,  to  make  good  our  definition. 

"When  we  affirm  that  theology  is  a  science,  we  do  not  affirm 
that  science  and  religion  are  identical.  There  may  be  a  science 
without  religion,  and  a  religion  without  science.  So,  too, 
there  may  be  a  science  of  religion.  We  maintain  that  there 
is,  and  that  theology  is  that  science.  It  was  the  great  mistake 
of  the  Socratic  and  Platonic  philosophy  to  make  virtue  and 
knowledge  identical.  For  a  man  to  clo  right,  it  was  only 
necessary  that  he  should  know  what  the  right  is,  since  the 
right  is  always  that  which  is  most  useful  and  best.  But,  alas ! 
human  history,  in  all  ages,  lidfc  but  too  clearly  shown,  that  to 
know  the  right  is  not  always  to  do  it ;  that  virtue  and  knowl¬ 
edge  are  by  no  means  the  same  thing.  Religion,  certainly,  is 
not  science.  Tie  wed  as  the  relation,  or  state  of  the  individual, 
only  with  respect  to  its  Maker,  religion  is,  as  the  objection 
asserts,  a  practical  thing,  a  matter  of  the  heart,  and  not  to  be 
learned  from  books  and  schools.  It  does  not  follow,  however, 
that  science  has  nothing  to  do  with  it,  even  as  such ;  that  there 
may  not  even  be  a  science  of  religion  itself.  In  one  sense, 
religion  is  an  affair  of  the  heart — not  of  the  head  ;  in  another 
sense  it  is  a  thing  to  be  learned  and  understood,  or  misappre¬ 
hended,  as  the  case  may  be.  For  that  feeling  and  faith  of  the 
renewed  heart  toward  its  God,  which  we  call  personal  religion, 
is  a  feeling  and  a  faith  which  rest  upon  divine  truth  as  their 
basis,  and  that  truth  must  be  known  in  order  to  be  believed.  If 
with  pious  Anselm  we  may  truly  affirm :  “  I  believe,  in  order  that 
I  may  know  with  not  less  truth  may  it  be  said :  I  know,  in 
order  that  I  may  believe.  The  object,  on  which  my  faith 
fastens,  must  be  an  object  of  knowledge;  the  thing  believed 


43 


must  be  a  tiling  known,  or  supposed  to  be  known.  In  order 
for  example,  to  believe  in  God,  must  I  not  know,  of  neces¬ 
sity,  something  respecting  liim,  that  lie  is,  and  in  a  measure, 
at  least,  wliat  lie  is,  and  why  I  believe  that  he  is,  and  that  he  is 
thus  and  thus  ?  So  much,  then,  is  evidently  science.  In  order  to 
the  prayer  of  faith,  must  I  not  know  “  that  God  is,  and  that 
he  is  a  rewarder  of  them  that  diligently  seek  him  ?”  This, 

cj  7 

too,  is  science. 

Understanding  by  the  term  Christian  religion,  then,  not  so 
much  the  faith  of  the  individual  soul,  as  the  system  of  divine 
truth  on  which  that  individual  faith  must  ever  rest,  it  is  evident 
that  a  science  unfolding  and  correctly  stating  that  system  of 
divine  truth,  becomes  possible  ;  and  not  possible,  merely,  but 
in  the  highest  sense  desirable  and  even  necessary.  Theology 
is  that  science. 

Botany,  and  astronomy,  and  psychology,  to  recur  to  the 
illustrations  already  given,  are  all  practical  matters  ;  they  deal 
with  facts,  with  concrete  realities.  It  is  their  business 
to  observe,  to  state,  and,  if  possible,  to  explain  those  facts. 
They  have  to  do  with  what  is,  merely,  and  not  with  what  may 
he ,  or  might  he.  Are  they,  then,  on  this  account,  the  less  to  be 
regarded  as  sciences  ?  Science  gathers,  arranges,  unfolds 
whatever  is  to  be  known  of  plant,  and  planet,  and  human 
mind ;  and  thus  we  have  a  botany,  an  astronomy,  a  psychology. 
In  like  manner,  science  gathers  up  the  great  facts  and  truths 
of  the  Christian  religion;  classifies,  states,  maintains,  and,  so 
far  as  she  can,  explains  them,  shows  the  relation  of  each  to 
each,  and  the  beautiful  order  and  harmony  of  the  whole ;  and 
thus  we  get  a  theology.  The  facts,  the  materials,  are  furnished 
in  each  case ;  given,  not  invented ;  plant,  planet,  laws  and 
operations  of  the  human  mind,  the  great  doctrines  of  revealed 
truth,  these  are  not  any  of  them  of  human  device,  but  all  and 
equally  of  divine  origin ;  but  the  science  of  these  facts  and 
truths  it  is  for  us  to  construct  as  best  we  can. 

Theology  is  a  science,  then,  strictly  speaking;  the  science 
of  the  Christian  religion,  regarded  as  a  system  of  divine 

truth. 


44 


II.  Theology.  I  further  maintain,  is  not  only  a  science,  hut 

a  progressive  science. 

In  some  sense,  every  science  is  progressive,  and  necessarily 
so.  Science,  it  must  he  remembered,  is  not  the  thing  itself, 
hut  only  our  knowledge  of  the  thing;  not  the  plants,  the 
planets,  the  laws  of  mental  operation,  the  divine  truths,  hut 
only  our  knowledge  of  these  things.  These  things  themselves, 
as  objects  of  knowledge,  may  he  complete,  finished,  perfect ; 
no  further  progress  therein  to  he  hoped  for  or  desired.  Our 
knowledge  of  these  objects  may,  on  the  other  hand,  he  very 
incomplete,  wholly  imperfect,  and  therefore  capable  of  greatest 
improvement  and  progress.  It  is  thus  with  all  science.  It  is 
thus  with  our  knowledge  of  Christian  truth.  In  the  truth 
itself,  as  given,  revealed,  there  can  he  no  improvement,  no 
progress.  It  came  from  the  hand  of  its  author  as  the  stars 
came,  and  the  flowers  of  the  field,  complete,  nothing  to  he 
added  thereto.  But  in  our  apprehension  of  divine  truth  great 
progress  may  he  made,  and  is  to  he  devoutly  hoped  for.  In 
the  course  of  centuries  of  human,  thought,  and  profound  study 
of  sacred  truth,  it  ffiere,  indeed,  strange  if  no  progress  were 
made  in  the  mode  of  apprehending  and  stating  that  truth. 
To  suppose  this,  is  to  suppose  that  in  one  of  the  noblest,  and, 
at  the  same  time,  most  difficult  departments  of  thought  and 
investigation  to  which  the  mind  of  man  can  devote  its  energies, 
no  advance  is  possible ;  that  as  regards  that  department,  with 
all  its  sublime,  and  intimately  connected,  and  far  reaching 
truths,  there  is  nothing  further  to  he  learned,  hut  all  that  can 
he  known  is  already  and  completely  known.  Was,  then,  the 
science  of  theology  complete  as  it  came  from  the  hands  of 
Augustine,  or  of  Calvin,  of  Luther,  of  Owen  and  Howe?  May 
it  not  possibly  have  made  a  little  progress,  even  since  the  days 
of  Edwards  ?  Has  the  human  mind  made  absolutely  no  advance 
in  this  noblest  of  all  sciences  since  the  Bishop  of  Hippo  wrote? 
When.  John  Locke  first  proposed  that  the  epistles  of  Paul 
should  he  read  like  any  other  letters,  that  is,  consecutively,  in 
a  connected  manner,  and  not  as  detached  proof  texts,  whereby 
their  life  and  power  were  greatly  diminished,  if  not  destroyed, 


% 


45 


he  took  a  step  quite  in  advance  of  the  mode  then  prevalent  of 
interpreting  scripture.  When,  as  Sir  William  Hamilton  has 
shown,  the  Westminster  Assembly  of  divines  so  far  departed 
from  the  received  standards,  as  to  drop  out  of  their  system 
that  cardinal  doctrine  of  Protestantism,  as  received  and  taught 


by  Luther  and  Calvin,  and  held  essential  by  both — the  doctrine 
of  personal  assurance  of  salvation,  as  essential  to  a  saving 
’  faith — some  progress  was  made,  we  must  think,  in  the  manner 
of  apprehending  divine  truth.  And  when  the  Xew  England 
theologians,  taking  counsel  of  common  sense,  distinguished 

more  definitely  than  had  hitherto  been  done,  between  sin  and 

«/  / 


depravity  /  the  one  denoting  the  sinful  act,  the  other,  the  cor¬ 
rupt  nature  underlying  all  specific  sinful  acts,  and  from  which 
all  such  acts  proceed;  the  one,  the  sinner's  own  personal  choice 
and  conduct,  for  which  he  is  personally  guilty  and  responsible, 
the  other,  a  nature  inherited  from  his  ancestors,  over  which  he 
had  no  control,  and  for  which  he  is  not,  therefore  personally 
responsible  ;  when  thus  they  charge  sin  home  upon  the  sinner 
who  commits  it,  instead  of  allowing  him  to  share  it  with  the 
first  parents  of  the  race,  or,  on  the  other  hand,  compelling 
him  to  bear  the  blame  of  what  was  done  centuries  before  he 
was  born  ;  it  would  seem  that  in  this,  too,  some  progress  was 
made  toward  a  more  sensible  and  correct  view  of  divine  truth. 


The  distinction  between  natural  and  moral  inability,  which 
is  of  recent  origin,  might  also  be  mentioned  as  an  instance  in 
point.  When  it  is  affirmed  that  the  sinner  cannot  repent  and 
obey  God,  it  is  of  some  consequence  to  know  whether  this 
inability  is  a  want  of  any  of  the  powers  and  faculties,  mental 
or  physical,  that  are  requisite  to  such  obedience,  or  simply  a 
want  of  inclination  or  disposition  to  obey  ;  whether,  in  other 
words,  it  is  really  and  properly  a  can  not,  or  only  a  will  not. 
Something  is  gained,  therefore,  when  we  make  the  distinction 
in  question,  provided  the  term  itself  is  still  retained. 

It  were  easy  to  name  other  points,  in  respect  to  which 
theological  science  has  made  progress  within  the  last  fifty 
years.  May  we  not  hope  that  something  is  still  to  be  gained, 
as  regards  both  the  clearer  apprehension,  and  the  better  state- 


/ 


46 


ment  of  divine  truth ;  that  as  time  passes  on,  and  the  human 
mind  advances  in  all  other  knowledge,  and  science  enlarges 
her  boundaries  in  all  other  directions,  light  may  break  forth, 
also,  upon  that  which  is  cliiefest  and  noblest  of  all,  the  science 
of  revealed  truth.  Indeed,  so  rapid  is  the  progress  of  all  other 
science,  and  so  closely  connected  and  interwoven  is  every 
science  with  every  other,  and  all  with  this,  the  chief  of  all,  that 
it  is  impossible  that  the  clearer  apprehension  of  the  truths 
which  lie  round  about  our  science,  should  not  cast  light,  also, 
upon  theology  itself. 

Indeed  the  whole  history  of  theology  shows  that  in  its  very 
nature  it  is  a  progressive  science.  Those  creeds  and  formularies 
in  which  it  stands  embodied  to-day,  are  themselves  the  growth 
of  time,  the  work  of  centuries.  In  the  able  words  of  a  recent 
writer :  “  To  shut  up  a  single  individual  with  the  mere  text  of 
the  scriptures,  and  demand  that  by  his  own  unassisted  studies 
and  meditations  upon  it  he  should,  during  his  own  life  time, 
build  up  a  statement  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  like  that  of 
Xice;  of  the  doctrine  of  the  person  of  Christ,  like  that  of 
Chalcedon ;  of  the  doctrine  of  the  atonement,  like  that  of  the 
Aimsburoh  and  Helvetic  confessions ;  of  the  doctrines  of  sin 
and  predestination,  like  that  of  Dort  and  Mestminster,  would 
be  to  require  an  impossibility.  It  would  be  like  demanding 
that  a  theologian  of  the  year  150,  should  construct,  in  his 
single  day  and  generation,  the  entire  systematic  theology  of 
the  year  1850;  that  a  Justin  Martyr,  e.  g.,  should  anticipate 
and  perform  the  entire  thinking  of  a  thousand  minds,  and  of 
seventeen  hundred  years  !  And  yet,  the  substance  and  staple 
of  all  this  vast  and  comprehensive  system  of  divinity  was  in 
that  Bible,  which  Justin  Martyr  possessed  without  note  or 
comment/’* 

There  has  been  progress ,  then,  in  theological  science.  If 
this  is  so,  as  regards  the  centuries  past,  why  may  it  not  be  so 
in  the  centuries  yet  future?  Mho  will  say  where  this  process 
is  to  cease?  where  all  further  thinking  and  all  further  advance 


*  Bib.  Sac.,  July,  1858. 

4 


47 


is  to  bo  precluded  ?  "Whereabout  on  the  line  of  human  thought 
and  progress  shall  the  gate  he  shut  down  on  all  further 
inquiry,  and  the  fixture  of  the  given  present  become  the 
finality  of  all  coming  time  ?  And  who  is  to  do  this  ? 

III.  Theology  is  a  science  of  highest  rank  and  dignity.  I 
claim  for  it  not  only  a  place,  but  the  very  chiefest  place  among 
the  sciences.  It  is,  in  truth,  what  the  greatest  intellects  of  the 
world  have  ever  pronounced  it ;  what  Plato  and  Aristotle, 
what  Bacon  and  Leibnitz,  among  the  philosophers,  have  called 
it,  the  queen  of  sciences.  It  moves  among  them  as  the  queen 
of  night  walks  the  heavens,  surrounded  by  ministering  con¬ 
stellations  ;  or  rather  as  a  central  sun,  far  shining,  and  lighting 
up  with  its  beams  the  attendant  orbs,  and  giving  to  each  its 
laws  of  motion.  All  other  sciences  point  to  this  as  their 
explanation  ;  they  presuppose  and  involve  this,  as  truly  as  the 
movements  of  the  planets  presuppose  a  central  source  of 
attraction.  Whatever  science  you  select,  you  come  back  to 
this  as  your  final  conclusion. 

It  was  a  lofty,  and  yet  a  just  conception  of  the  great  master 
mind  of  antiquity,  that  among  the  various  departments  of 
human  thought  and  knowledge,  throned  above  and  overlooking 
them  all,  there  is  a  science  of  science  itself — a  first  philosophy. 
Theology  is  that  first  philosophy,  that  science  of  sciences.  To 
make  good  this  high  claim,  it  is  sufficient  simply  to  advert  to 
the  nature  of  the  themes  and  objects  with  which  it  is  the 
province  of  theology  to  deal.  What  science  treats  of  things 
such  and  so  great,  or  is  so  rich  in  its  field  of  investigation  l 
Theology  brings  us  at  once  into  the  immediate  presence  of 
some  of  the  profoundest  problems  of  human  thought ;  problems 
whose  depth  and  difficulty  have  taxed  and  baffled  the  noblest 
minds  in  all  ages  of  the  world,  and  always  will.  Take,  for 
example,  the  doctrine  of  God — the  truth  which  lies  at  the  very 
threshold  of  the  science.  What  mystery  surrounds  us  as  we 
approach  this  doctrine  !  It  is  veiled  and  wrapped  about  with 
impenetrable  darkness,  as  Sinai  of  old,  when  the  Most  High 
descended  upon  it  in  his  mantle  of  cloud.  There  is  a  God. 
The  proofs  of  his  existence  we  find  not  only  about  us,  in 


48 


external,  material  forms,  but  what  is  far  more,  and  more  to 
the  purpose,  within  us,  in  our  own  moral  spiritual  nature. 
We  need  not  go  out  of  ourselves  to  lind  God.  But  what  is 
that  existence  which  we  thus  designate  ?  Who  shall  explain 
it ?  that  existence,  infinite  and  absolute,  without  beginning  of 
days  or  end  of  years,  unlimited  by  time  or  place,  all  knowing, 
all  powerful,  the  same  yesterday,  to-day  and  forever !  The 
human  mind,  in  approaching  such  a  theme,  is  lost  in  the  vain 
endeavor  to  comprehend  its  own  thought. 

If  the  very  existence  of  such  a  being  is  to  us  a  mystery,  the 
mode  of  that  existence  is  surely  not  less  so.  What  a  problem, 
incomprehensible  to  man,  lies  here  !  Threeness,  yet  oneness  ! 
One,  yet  not  so  one  as  to  exclude  the  threeness  !  Three,  yet 
not  so  three  as  to  be  the  less  truly  and  strictly  one ! 

Or,  turning  to  the  great  central  fact  in  the  world’s  history, 
the  incarnation  of  this  great  and  glorious  being  God  manifest 
in  the  flesh — God-man;  the  God  that  “ rolls  the  stars  along,” 
and  that  said  once,  “  Let  there  be  light,”  clothed  now  in  such 
feeble  flesh  as  we;  a  babe  in  Bethlehem  of  Judea;  a  man  in 
Aazareth ;  what  mystery  more  grand  and  sublime  than  this 
has  ever  been  conceived  by  man  ! 


Another  and  not  less  difficult  problem,  with  which,  in  some 
form  or  other,  theology  has  to  deal,  is  the  doctrine  of  sin. 
What  is  it?  IIoio  came  it?  Why  came  it? 

What  is  sin  ?  Every  conscious  act  of  transgression,  doubtless, 
is  sin.  Blit  is  that  all  ?  Does  sin  consist  entirely  in  such  acts  ? 


What  shall  we  say,  then,  of  the  nature  that  underlies  all  such 
acts,  and  from  which  they  all  spring  ?  Is  that  nature,  also,  sinful, 
and  in  what  sense  ?  A  question  not  yet  fairly  settled.  Does  sin 
consist  entirely  in  the  voluntary  act  ?  If  so,  what  shall  we  say 
of  the  affections,  that  are  not  under  the  direct  control  of 
the  will,  and  yet  for  whose  specific  action  we  are  held  respon¬ 
sible,  as  in  the  command  to  love  God  supremely,  and  our 
fellow  men  as  ourselves  ?  These  are  questions  involving  no 
little  difficult v,  as  the  history  of  theological  controversy 
abundantly  shows.  The  simple  fact  that  the  ablest  and  most 
acute  minds  have  held  entirely  different  views,  and  reached 


49 


entirely  different  conclusions,  in  respect  to  this  matter,  shows 
that  it  is  a  question  not  lightly  to  he  put  aside. 

And  then,  how  came  such  a  thing  as  sin  ever  to  he  ?  IIow  is  it 
possible  for  a  pure  and  holy  nature  to  sin  ?  a  question  that  has 
never  yet  been  duly  considered,  but  in  truth  one  of  the  most 
difficult  problems  of  human  thought.  IIow  could  a  pure  and 
holy  mind  cherish,  in  the  first  instance,  an  unholy  thought  ?  a 
nature,  all  right,  harbor  a  desire  or  affection  all  wrong  ?  There 
must  have  been  such  a  beginning,  and  it  must  have  begun  in 
a  pure  and  virtuous  mind.  The  fact  we  know,  but  who  can 
explain  or  account  for  it  ?  Is  it  the  work  of  a  tempter  ?  And 
who,  then,  is  this  tempter,  and  how  did  sin  begin  in  him  ? 
Driven  to  the  wall  in  this  direction,  shall  we  say  with  an 

'  V 

eminent  divine,  that  God  is  himself  the  efficient  producer  of 
the  first  sinful  impulse  of  the  creature  ?  “  But  God  tempteth 

no  man,  neither  is  tempted  of  any.” 

But  more  than  all,  and  harder  than  all  to  be  answered,  why 
was  such  a  thing  as  sin  ever  permitted ,  not  to  say  produced, 
in  the  providence  and  under  the  dominion  of  a  perfectly  wise, 
perfectly  holy,  and  at  the  same  time,  absolutely  powerful  God  ? 
Great  unsolved  problem  of  the  ages,  this !  Is  o  thoughtful 
and  well  informed  mind  will  ever  think  lightly  of  this  profound 
problem,  or  of  any  serious  and  earnest  attempt  at  its  rational 
solution. 

In  truth,  this  whole  doctrine  of  sin — what  it  is,  and  whence 
it  is,  and  why  it  is — is  one  sublime  and  terrible  mystery.  Like 
the  shadow  that  men  call  death,  it  confronts  us  on  our  way, 
and  the  self-satisfied  theologian,  intent  on  making  all  things 
plain,  may  well  exclaim,  as  he  meets  this  dread  apparition  in 
his  path : 

“  Whence  and  what  art  thou,  execrable  shape, 

That  darest  oppose  my  way  ?” 

It  stalks  on,  questioned  or  unquestioned,  through  all  the 
centuries  of  human  history  and  human  thought,  beating  down 
wffth  its  iron  flail  the  pride  of  human  intellect,  putting  to 
flight  the  subtleties  of  the  schools,  baffling  the  wisdom  of  the 

learned,  and  the  faith  of  the  devout.  We  may  well  apply  to  it 

7 


50 


that  sublime  language  of  Eliphaz  the  Temanite  :  “  In  thoughts 
from  the  visions  of  the  night,  when  deep  sleep  falleth  on 
man,  fear  came  upon  me  and  trembling,  which  made  all  my 
bones  to  shake.  Then  a  spirit  passed  before  my  face ;  the 
hair  of  my  flesh  stood  up.  It  stood  still,  but  I  could  not 
discern  the  form  thereof ;  an  image  was  before  mine  eyes ; 
there  was  silence,  and  I  heard  a  voice  saying :  “  Shall  mortal 
man  be  more  just  than  God?” 

Such  are  some  of  the  great  unsolved  problems  of  Christian  the¬ 
ology.  And  yet  with  all  the  difficulty  which  invests  these  themes 
there  is  still  a  loftiness  and  grandeur  about  them,  a  quiet  repose 
that  is  refreshing  to  the  mind.  AY e  stand  before  these  sublime 
mysteries  of  our  faith  as  one  stands  at  the  foot  of  Jungfrau, 
among  the  solitudes  of  the  Alps,  far  removed  from  the  cares 
and  vices  of  the  vexed  and  vexing  world,  all  whose  noise  and 
movement  die  away  and  are  lost  in  the  distance  below,  while 
you  stand  in  the  presence  of  the  eternal  hills,  whose  frowning 
and  awful  heights  are  to  you  indeed  inaccessible,  but  in  whose 
silence,  and  shadow,  and  strength,  your  spirit  finds  a  calm, 
sweet  repose. 

But  it  may  be  said  to  all  this,  Cui  bonot  of  what  use  are  all 
these  speculations  ?  Grant,  if  you  please,  the  difficulty  of  the 
problems,  and  the  dignity  of  the  science  that  is  ever’  taxing 
itself  in  vain  to  solve  what  can  probably  never  be  solved  by 
man,  of  what  real  value  is  such  a  science  to  the  world  and  to 
the  church,  in  this  practical,  hard  working  age  ? 

I  proceed  then  to  show, 

IY.  That  theology  is  a  science  of  the  highest  practical  value. 

There  are  three  respects  in  which  this  may  be  made  to 
appear :  in  its  relation  to  the  prevalence  of  extreme  and  erro¬ 
neous  views  in  religious  matters ;  in  its  relation  to  the  power 
of  the  pulpit ;  and  in  its  relation  to  the  formation  of  personal 
character. 

And  1.  In  relation  to  the  prevalence  of  extreme  and  erroneous 
views.  The  tendency  in  the  religious  world  is  and  has  always 
been  to  certain  opposite  extremes  in  matters  of  religious 
belief,  which  extremes  are  always  errors.  Nothing  but  a 


51 


sound  and  true  tlieologj  can  either  prevent  or  counteract  sucli 
errors. 

For  example :  there  has  been  a  strong  tendency  to  exalt,  on 

the  one  hand,  the  province  of  reason  ;  on  the  other,  that  of 

faith.  The  history  of  the  Christian  church  is,  in  one  of  its 

aspects,  a  history  of  the  conflict  between  these  two  opposite 

and  extreme  tendencies,  rationalism  and  pietism.  If  the  latter 

finds  its  home  in  the  bosom  of  the  Romish  church,  the  former 

as  manifestly  finds  something  congenial  in  the  spirit  and 

principles  of  Protestantism ;  yet  to  neither  the  one  nor  the 

other  of  these  churches  is  the  tendencv  to  either  of  these 

«/ 

principles  exclusively  confined.  Early  in  the  history  of 
Christianity  the  conflict  of  these  two  tendencies  begins  to  show 
itself.  We  see  it  in  the  Montanism  and  Gnosticism  of  the 
early  church ;  faith  as  against  knowledge,  and  knowledge  as 
against  faith.  At  a  later  period,  it  reappears  under  the  forms 
of  mysticism  and  scholasticism,  as  in  the  middle  ages.  While 
in  our  owm  period,  the  pietism  as  opposed  to  the  rationalism 
of  Germany  is  hut  another  manifestation  of  the  tendency  to 
the  same  extremes. 

I  need  hardly  pause  to  say  here,  that  piety  and  learning, 
faith  and  reason,  are  both  essential  to  a  true  Christianity,  and 
neither  can  well  and  wdsely.  he  dissevered  from  the  other.  If 
pious  feeling  needs  to  he  enlightened  and  regulated  by  sound 
knowledge,  so  also  does  reason  need  to  be  made  humble  and 
devout  by  simple  faith.  The  due  balance  of  the  two  is  needed, 
but  that  balance,  as  all  history  shows,  is  difficult  to  attain  and 
to  retain.  Piety,  a  matter  of  feeling,  a  thing  of  the  heart,  tends 
to  dissever  itself  from  the  reflection  and  abstraction  of  sober 
thought ;  while  reason  again,  the  speculative  intellect,  is  restive 
under  the  restraints  of  faith,  impatient  to  strike  out  a  more 
daring  and  adventurous  course,  and  to  build  on  some  other 
than  the  only  sure  foundation  of  all  certainty  in  religious 
things,  the  word  of  God.  Such  knowledge  becomes  dangerous. 
But  equally  dangerous  is  the  faith  that  is  without  knowledge. 
Jealous  of  speculation  and  inquiry,  neglecting  careful  investi¬ 
gation  and  scientific  culture,  it  becomes  superficial,  and 


52 


degenerates  into  mere  enthusiasm  or  bigotry.  On  this 
infidelity  seizes,  and  finds  its  fitting  occasion.  So  goes  all 
history  of  the  Christian  church.  Nothing  hut  a  correct  and 
sound  theology,  that  shall  strike  the  balance  between  these 
opposing  principles,  and  assign  each  its  due  place  in  the 
Christian  scheme,  can  effectually  counteract  the  tendency  to 
one  or  the  other  of  these  extremes. 

As  another  example  of  the  tendency  to  extremes  in  matters 
of  religion,  I  may  instance  the  undue  attachment  to  forms  and 
organizations ,  on  the  one  hand,  as  opposed  to  the  undue 
neglect  of  them  on  the  other.  Doubtless  the  church  spirit, 
the  denominational  tendency,  has  its  use  and  end.  It  serves 
to’  bind  more  closely  together  the  followers  of  Christ,  thus 
united  in  church  relations,  and  make  them  one  in  spirit  and 
action.  But  give  this  principle  undue  place,  and  the  church 
organization,  the  form,  becomes  speedily  paramount,  and  the 
doctrine,  the  substance  of  Christianity,  comparatively  over¬ 
looked.  Nowr  the  whole  history  of  Christianity  shows  the 
tendency  of  the  human  mind,  in  religious  matters,  to  make 
more  and  more  of  the  form ,  the  outward  visible  organization, 
as  time  progresses,  to  the  relative  neglect  of  the  substance ; 
and  in  proportion  as  this  is  the  case,  the  great  doctrines  and 
principles  of  the  Christian  system  are  suffered  in  a  measure 
to  drop  out  of  sight  and  lose  their  importance.  Differences 
of  doctrinal  sentiment  are  held  of  less  account  than  differences 
of  ecclesiastical  order,  and  theology,  as  a  science,  dwindles 
and  languishes,  while  petty  questions  of  church  organism,  and 
petty  matters  of  churchly  furniture  and  form,  become  the 
paramount  and  all  important  topics  of  thought  and  study. 

The  Puseyism  of  the  English  church  is  a  perfect  and  legiti¬ 
mate  illustration  of  the  tendency  to  which  I  refer;  nor  can 
any  intelligent  and  observant  eye  fail  to  notice  the  rapidly 
increasing  development  of  the  same  tendency  in  more  than 
one  of  the  great  Christian  organizations  of  our  own  country. 

Quite  the  opposite  extreme,  and  hardly  less  disastrous,  would 
be  the  entire  neglect  of  forms  and  organizations.  Absolute 
individualism  is  certainly  not  the  normal  condition  of  man, 


* 


53 


whether  in  matters  of  religion  or  of  secular  life.  In  church, 
as  in  state,  there  must  he  society  and  organism,  body  as  well 
as  soul,  form  as  well  as  substance.  Complete  independence  is 
not  the  highest  form  of  Christian  life,  if  indeed  it  be  compati¬ 
ble  with  it. 

I  have  not  time,  nor  on  the  present  occasion  is  it,  perhaps, 
needful  to  show,  by  reference  to  the  history  of  the  Christian 
church,  how  to  one  or  the  other  of  these  extremes  the  human 
mind  seems  ever  tending,  though  more  frequently,  it  must  be 
confessed,  and  tar  more  strongly,  to  the  former  than  to  the 
latter. 

There  is  no  surer  way  to  counteract  this  tendency  than  to 
bring  forward  the  science  of  systematic  theology  into  the 
front  ground,  and  assign  it  its  true  place  and  rank.  In  pro¬ 
portion  as  the  great  truths  and  principles  of  the  Christian 
system  assume  their  just  and  proper  importance,  the  little 
matters  of  mere  ecclesiastical  form  and  order  dwindle  into 
insignificance,  and  vanish  away,  as  the  stars  disappear  from 
the  heavens  before  the  rising  sun. 

Closely  allied  to  the  error  last  mentioned,  is  the  prevailing 
tendency  to  make  either  too  much,  on  the  one  hand,  or  too  little 
on  the  other,  of  those  creeds  and  confessions  of  faith,  which  at 
various  times  and  by  various  bodies  have  been  drawn  up  for 
the  use  of  the  Christian  church.  What  is  ancient  is  sacred. 
That  which  a  former  age  has  believed  and  practised  is  clothed 
with  an  authority  inviolable,  and  bears  with  it  the  force  of 
demonstration.  Councils,  decrees,  confessions  of  faith,  aside 
from  their  owTn  inherent  and  proper  value,  gather  thus  a  power 
and  influence  they  were  never  intended  to  possess,  an  influence 
increasing  rather  than  diminishing  as  time  progresses,  until  it 
comes  to  be  regarded  as  prima  facie  evidence  of  unsoundness 
in  the  faith,  if  one  ventures  to  differ,  in  never  so  slight  a 
matter,  from  the  standards  that  time  has  consecrated,  and  the 
piety  of  the  church  reveres.  How  the  men  who  drew  up  these 
ancient  confessions  may  or  may  not  have  been  wiser  and 
better  men  than  the  world  has  since  seen ;  they  may  or  may 
not  have  had  superior  facilities  for  arriving  at  a  correct  judg- 


54 


ment  in  matters  of  doubtful  and  difficult  adjustment.  Their 
work  may  or  may  not,  therefore,  be  justly  entitled  to  a  defer¬ 
ence  not  accorded  to  other  and  more  recent  investigations  and 
conclusions.  It  is  certainly  possible  that  the  devout  scholar 
of  the  present  day,  surrounded  by  all  the  aids  and  appliances 
of  modern  time,  availing  himself  of  all  the  progress  that  has 
been  made,  and  all  the  light  that  has  been  thrown  upon  his 
path,  progress  in  natural,  in  mental,  in  moral,  and  in  political 
science,  light  upon  matters  of  philology  and  matters  of 
history,  may,  under  these  circumstances,  bring  to  bear  upon 
his  work  a  mind  not  less  thoroughly  trained,  and  a  degree  of 
skill  not  inferior  to  that  of  the  biblical  student  and  divine  of 
some  preceding  age ;  he  may  even  be  in  circumstances  more 
favorable  to  the  forming  of  correct  opinions  and  an  impartial 
judgment  on  the  questions  that  were  agitated  in  the  councils 
of  Nice  and  Trent,  or  the  synod  of  Augsburgh,  than  were  the 
fathers  who  sat  in  those  councils,  and  drew  up  those  decisions 
and  decrees. 

However  that  may  be,  it  is  the  cardinal  doctrine  of  Protest¬ 
antism  that  no  doctrines  of  men  are  binding  on  the  conscience 
in  matters  of  religion.  Whether  they  be  decisions  of  popes, 
or  councils,  or  synods,  or  assemblies  of  divines,  it  matters  not ; 
whether  they  be  decrees,  or  catechisms,  or  creeds,  or  confes¬ 
sions  of  faith,  not  one  of  them  all,  be  they  what  they  may,  is 
binding  on  the  conscience  of  any  man,  be  he  who  he  may ; 
but  only  the  pure  word  of  God,  and  every  man  his  own  judge 
of  what  that  word  contains.  This  is  the  root,  the  foundation 
and  very  ground  work  of  Protestant  faith.  Give  it  up,  and 
you  give  up  the  very  fortress  and  citadel  of  Protestantism. 

On  the  other  hand,  they  are  not  wise  who  cry  out  against 
all  creeds  and  formularies  of  Christian  doctrine  as  useless,  and 
worse  than  useless.  It  does  not  follow  that  because  these  things 
are  not  of  binding  authority,  they  are  therefore  of  no  avail.  As 
guides  of  judgment,  as  landmarks  to  show  where  the  old  paths 
went,  and  in  what  way  the  aucient  worthies  trode,  as  helps 
to  a  correct  decision  in  matters  of  doubtful  moment,  they  are 
of  high  value.  I  will  not,  indeed,  receive  them  as  authority, 


55 


and  concede  to  them  my  own  right  of  individual  judgment ; 
hut  I  will  honor  and  respect  them  as  the  opinions  of  wise  and 
good  men,  and  as  such  deserving  of  respect.  I  will  not  ask  what 
Athanasius,  or  Augustine,  what  Luther  or  Calvin  believed,  in 
order  that  I  may  believe  the  same,  and  that  because  they 
believed  it;  but  I  will  ask  what  these  men  and  others  believed 
and  taught,  that  I  may  avail  myself  of  their  wisdom,  and  get 
wdiat  light  I  can  upon  the  meaning  of  the  sacred  oracles,  upon 
the  higlits,  and  depths,  and  difficult  mountain  passes  of  the 
Christian  faith.  If  their  doctrine  seems  to  accord  with  the 
inspired  word,  rationally  interpreted  and  intelligently  weighed, 
I  will  gladly  receive  it ;  and  all  the  more  gladly  that  it  is  the 
belief  of  such  men.  If  it  differs  from  what,  in  my  best  judg¬ 
ment,  God’s  word  means  and  teaches,  then  in  so  far  will  I 
differ  from  them,  and  no  man  shall  deprive  me  of  this 
liberty. 

The  tendency  to  an  undue  reliance  on  the  formularies  and 
confessions  of  a  preceding  age,  or,  on  the  other  hand,  to  their 
depreciation  and  abandonment,  finds  its  most  effectual  preven¬ 
tive  in  the  diligent  study  and  culture  of  systematic  theology 
as  a  science.  As  nothing  tends  more  to  check  the  progress 
and  discourage  the  study  of  theological  science,  than  to  set  up 
the  claim  of  authority  for  the  decisions  of  the  past,  thus 
making  the  system  of  Christian  doctrine,  as  taught  in  this  or 
that  age,  by  this  or  that  eminent  divine,  in  this  or  that  creed, 
or  confession,  or  catechism,  a  fixture  and  a  finality,  thus  vir¬ 
tually  taking  God’s  word  out  of  our  hands ;  so,  on  the 
contrary,  nothing  will  so  effectually  prevent  this  undue  and 
exclusive  reliance  on  the  opinions  and  decisions  of  the  past,  as 
to  elevate  theological  science  to  its  proper  place,  and  encourage 
men  to  study,  diligently,  and  faithfully,  and  for  themselves, 
the  great  system  of  truth  contained  in  the  sacred  scriptures, 
so  as,  if  possible,  clearly  to  apprehend,  and  fully  to  master, 
that  noblest,  sublimest,  most  difficult  of  all  sciences,  the  science 
of  the  Christian  religion. 

In  relation,  then,  to  all  such  extreme  and  erroneous  views, 
as  preventing  and  counteracting  the  tendency,  whether  to 


56 


rationalism,  or  its  opposite ;  to  undue  churchism,  or  its  oppo¬ 
site  ;  to  undue  reliance  on  creeds,  and  symbols  of  faith,  or 
their  undue  neglect;  systematic  theology  becomes  of  the 
highest  practical  importance. 

2.  The  practical  value  of  our  science  appears,  also,  in  its 
relation  to  the  power  of  the  pulpit. 

It  would  seem  to  be  a  clear  case,  that  in  order  to  teach  well, 
a  man  must  clearly  comprehend  the  things  which  he  teaches  ; 
in  order  to  speak  well,  and  to  the  edification  of  the  hearer,  he 
must  know  the  things  whereof  he  affirms.  If,  as  Cicero  says,  it 
is  necessary  for  the  orator  to  be  familiar  with  all  branches  of 
knowledge,  in  order  to  speak  well  upon  any  subject,  surely  it 
is  far  more  needful  that  he  should  understand  well  that  one 
thing  on  which  he  is  to  discourse.  He  who  is  to  present 
divine  truth  to  men,  in  its  simplicity,  its  beauty,  its  power, 
must  understand  divine  truth,  must  grasp  it  in  its  outlines, 
and  comprehend  its  relations,  and  all  its  fair  proportions  and 
harmonies,  how  each  truth  fits  itself  to  each,  and  how 
every  part  contributes  to  the  symmetry  and  proportion  of 
the  whole.  Only  the  diligent  study  of  Christian  truth,  as  a 
svstem  and  a  science,  can  enable  him  to  do  this. 

%J  y 


The  most  powerful  and  faithful  preaching  of  the  gospel  is 
that  which  rests  upon  and  springs  from  the  thorough,  doctrinal 
study  of  the  scriptures.  That  which  has  no  other  foundation 
than  mere  feeling,  is  superficial,  and  in  its  results  evanescent. 
That  preaching  which  is  to  move  with  power,  and  strike 
efficient  blows,  must  lay  hold  upon  the  truth  with  a  firm  grasp, 
and  wield  it  as  the  club  of  Hercules.  Every  doctrine  of  God's 
word,  each  eternal  truth,  massive  and  strong,  stoutly  seized 
and  boldlv  swiiim,  must  be  in  its  hand  like  the  battle  axe  of 
Cceur  de  Lion,  that  never  struck  in  vain.  Ho  feeble  and 
vague  apprehension  of  truth,  no  partial  and  confused  vision, 
no  irresolute  and  unskillful  handling  of  the  divine  armor  can- 
do  this.  He  that  would  handle  well  the  sword  of  the  Spirit, 
which  is  the  word  of  God,  must  understand  his  weapon  and 
its  use.  And  to  this  he  must  be  well  and  carefully  trained. 
The  man  who  has  no  musical  science,  and  no  knowledge  of 


the  instrument,  may  as  well  sit  down  to  evoke  the  hidden 
harmonies  of  the  organ,  and  develop  all  its  sweetness  and  its 
power,  as  he  who  has  no  thorough  knowledge  of  the  system 
of  Christian  truth  undertake  to  present  that  system  in  such  a 
way  as  to  make  its  grand  and  solemn  tones  accordant  and 
harmonious.  In  order  to  touch  a  single  chord  aright,  he  must 
understand  the  whole  science ;  in  order  to  command  a  single 
key  or  a  single  stop  aright,  he  must  have  at  his  command  the 
entire  instrument,  in  all  its  parts,  and  with  all  its  powers. 
Siqypose  the  preacher  to  discourse  upon  the  divine  sovereignty. 
Without  a  clear  comprehension  of  the  relations  of  this  great 
truth  to  the  other  parts  of  the  system,  its  exact  place  among 
the  truths  that  lie  round  about,  and  closely  connected  with  it, 
such  a  knowledge  as  only  careful,  thorough,  and  wisely  directed 
study  of  the  whole  system  and  science  can  give,  he  will  he 
likely  so  to  present  this  doctrine  as  to  clash  with  other  and 
equally  important  truths  of  the  Christian  scheme.  He  may 
so  preach  divine  power  as  to  leave  no  room  for  human 
freedom.  Or  if  he  treat  of  human  ability,  he  may  so  present 
it  as  to  leave  no  place  for  divine  power  and  sovereignty. 
Urging  his  hearer  to  make  to  himself  a  new  heart,  he  may  so 
press  upon  him  his  own  duty  and  responsibility  in  the  matter, 
as  to  leave  upon  his  mind  the  impression  that  the  work  is 
wholly  man’s,  and  that  God  has  little  to  do  with  the  sinner’s 
conversion.  Or  seeking,  on  the  other  hand,  to  make  his 
hearers  feel  their  entire  dependence  on  God’s  Spirit  for  their 
salvation,  he  may  so  present  this  great  truth  as  quite  to  relieve 
their  minds  from  the  pressure  of  immediate  duty  and  respon¬ 
sibility,  and  leave  them  waiting  in  security  and  sin  for  God’s 
good  time,  when  it  may  be  his  pleasure  to  convert  them.  In 
neither  case  will  such  preaching  be  powerful  and  effective. 
The  gospel  that  is  thus  awkwardly  and  unskillfully  handled  is 
not  the  gospel  that  is  mighty  to  the  pulling  down  of  strong¬ 
holds  of  error  and  of  sin. 

A  sound  theological  training,  so  far  from  making  men  dull 
and  ineffective  preachers,  makes  them  directly  the  reverse.  It  is 
the  foundation  and  source  of  their  power.  The  strength  and 
8 


58 


efficiency  of  the  pulpit,  any  where  and  at  any  time,  is  in 
direct  proportion  to  the  clearness  with  which  the  great  truths 
of  religion  are  apprehended  by  the  preacher,  in  all  their 
individual  distinctness  and  their  connected  harmony.  Who, 
in  the  days  of  Luther  and  Calvin,  excelled  those  great  theolo¬ 
gians  in  the  powerful  presentation  of  truth  from  the  pulpit  % 
Or  what  more  effective  preachers  of  the  word,  in  modern 
times,  than  our  own  Edwards  and  Bellamy  ?  It  was  the 
theology  of  these  men  that  made  them  strong  in  the  pulpit. 
When  Luther  ascended  the  pulpit,  princes  and  legates 
crowded  to  hear  him ;  peasant  and  noble  were  bowed  and 
swayed  with  one  common  emotion.  When  Calvin  preached, 
magistrates  and  senates  trembled,  and  syndics  hastened  to 
reconsider  and  revoke  their  decisions.  It  was  no  idle  talk,  it 
was  no  child’s  play  with  these  men.  Seizing  the  ponderous 
hammer  of  God’s  truth,  and  swinging  it  aloft,  they  brought  it 
down  with  terrible  effect  upon  the  errors  and  follies  of  the 
time,  smiting  right  earnestly.  Yet  Calvin  and  Luther  were 
the  great  theologians  of  that  day. 

Of  the  power  of  Edwards,  as  a  preacher,  every  one  has 
heard.  Discoursing  of  the  justice  of  God,  as  displayed  in  the 
punishment  of  the  finally  impenitent,  so  vividly  does  he  set 
forth  the  terrible  truth  that  has  seized  and  possessed  his  mind, 
that  the  deep  stillness  which  had  crept  over  the  audience  as 
he  proceeded,  gave  way  at  length  to  the  sobs  and  groans  of 
the  agitated  assembly.  Of  Bellamy,  it  is  sufficient  to  say 
that  he  had  it  in  his  power  to  raise  his  hearers  to  their  feet,  or 
prostrate  them  to  the  floor,  almost  as  one  man,  by  the  power 
of  his  discourse.  It  is  related  of  President  Edwards,  that 
having  listened  to  a  sermon  of  Bellamy  in  his  own  pulpit,  on 
a  subject  in  which  he  was  himself  deeply  interested,  so  fully 
was  he  carried  away  with  the  truth  uttered,  and  so  lost  to 
every  thing  beside,  that  he  walked  homeward  earnestly 
engaged  in  conversation  with  the  preacher,  not  noticing  till  he 
reached  his  own  house  that  he  had  left  his  hat  in  the  pulpit. 

Yow  it  was  not  idle  declamation  nor  empty  rhetoric  with 
these  men,  but  the  simple  power  of  truth,  clearly  perceived, 


59 


earnestly  believed,  distinctly  and  powerfully  presented,  that 
wrought  such  effects.  It  was  the  eloquence  of  truth ;  God’s 
truth,  God’s  eloquence,  and  not  theirs.  Their  power  as 
preachers  lay  in  their  theology.  That  was  the  highest  and 
best  eulogium  ever  pronounced  upon  a  preacher,  the  answer 
of  the  simple-hearted  but  devoutly  pious  negro  to  the  clergy¬ 
man,  who  asked  him  wherein  consisted  the  great  superiority 
of  Bellamy’s  preaching:  “O  Massa,  he  make  God  so  great! 
so  great!  ”  Yet  these  men,  so  terrible  in  the  pulpit,  so  strong, 
so  earnest,  were  the  leading  theologians  of  that  day.  Said  I 
not  rightly,  that  theological  science  is  of  practical  value  in  its 
relation  to  the  power  of  the  pulpit. 

3.  The  practical  value  of  our  science  appears  furthermore 
in  its  relation  to  personal  character. 

It  has  long  been  known  that  the  pursuit,  especially  the 
intellectual  pursuit,  or  profession,  to  which  a  man  devotes 
himself,  exerts  a  forming  and  controlling  influence  upon  his 
character ;  makes  him  in  great  measure  the  man  he  is.  In  no 
pursuit,  probably,  is  this  effect  more  marked  than  in  the 
sacred  profession ;  and  in  no  respect,  perhaps,  is  it  here  so 
great,  as  in  the  influence  which  theological  study  exerts  upon 
the  mind  and  character  of  its  true  disciples.  There  is  no 
science  like  it  to  impart  strength  of  mind,  or  earnestness  of 
purpose.  It  quickens  and  calls  into  action  the  highest  powers 
of  the  soul.  It  taxes  the  intellect,  it  calls  out  the  sensibilities, 
it  demands  the  resoluteness  of  the  will.  It  teaches  the  mind  to 
scan  with  penetrating  glance  that  which  is  high,  and  that 
which  is  deep ;  teaches  it  to  gaze  steadily  at  objects  whose 
brightness  is  fearful,  and  brings  it  face  to  face  with  difficulties 
of  no  ordinary  nature,  which  it  must  seize  and  overcome. 
Wrestling  with  God’s  eternal  truth,  it  gains  strength  from  the 
very  contact,  and  is  thrown  but  to  rise  the  stouter  wrestler. 

*  Standing  habitually  in  the  view  of  eternal  realities,  at 
once  the  most  sublime  and  terrible,  it  gathers  an  earnestness 
of  purpose  from  the  solemn  presence  before  which  it  moves. 
The  mind  that  is  trifling  and  vain ;  that  lacks  earnestness  of 
purpose  and  sobriety  of  thought ;  that  is  deficient  in  vigor  of 


60 


intellect  and  soundness  of  judgment,  in  clearness  of  apprehen¬ 
sion,  or  in  resoluteness  of  will,  may  do  something,  perhaps,  in 
other  pursuits  and  professions,  hut  will  find  no  place  for  itself 
in  this — no  footing  for  itself  in  these  deeper  waters,  that  rise 
above  the  mountains  and  submerge  all  the  plains. 

Yet  is  the  pursuit  of  this  science  not  inconsistent  with  the 
gentler  traits  and  finer  impulses  of  humanity.  The  great 
theologians,  both  ancient  and  modern,  have  been  of  rich  and 
varied  powers,  and  of  gifts  diversified ;  men  of  vigorous 
intellect,  clear  conceptions,  strong  and  well-balanced  mind, 
earnest  purpose ;  and  yet  withal  of  noble  and  generous  heart, 
of  ready  sympathy,  gentle,  and  alive  to  all  the  finer  sensibilities 
of  our  nature.  Lovers  of  truth  they  have  ever  been,  and  yet 
withal  lovers  of  beauty,  both  in  nature  and  in  art,  and  lovers 
moreover  of  that  innocent  mirth  with  which  a  truly  great 
mind  ever  sparkles,  as  the  great  ocean  sparkles  and  flashes  in 
the  sun.  Such,  pre-eminently,  Avere  the  early  divines  of  Yew 
England ;  men  whose  learning  and  piety  were  blended  with 
a  genial  sympathy  and  a  ready  wit ;  men  not  less  quick  at 
repartee  than  strong  in  argument,  and  whom  it  were  not  quite 
safe  for  a  sluggish  mind  to  meet  in  either  encounter. 

It  has  been  sometimes  supposed  that  theological  studies  tend 
to  make  one  crabbed  and  repulsive,  selfish  and  unfeeling, 
abstracted  from  the  joys  and  sorrows  and  wants  and  strifes  of 
the  great  living  and  struggling  world,  absorbed  in  thought, 
and  interested  only  in  useless  metaphysical  distinctions.  Yo 
impression  can  be  more  unjust.  Minds  that  are  by  nature 
cold  and  unfeeling  may,  indeed,  hold  converse  with  this  as 
with  any  other  science ;  may  pass  round  about,  and  mark  its 
defences  and  count  its  towers ;  may  even  pass  its  portals,  and 
wander  through  its  grand  and  stately  halls,  insensible  to  its 
true  beauty  and  uninspired  by  its  loftiness.  But  it  is  not  the 
science  that  makes  them  so.  And  not  such,  in  fact,  have  been 
the  great  theologians  of  the  age.  One  need  only  look  into 
the  letters  of  Luther  to  find  that  he  was  a  man  of  soul ;  a  man 
whose  heart  was  not  less  active  than  his  brain ;  a  man  of  strong 
affections  and  ready  sympathies ;  a  man  running  over  with 


61 


wit  and  humor.  Children  climbed  upon  his  knee,  and  found 
in  him  no  unwilling  playfellow.  lie  had  an  eye  also  for  the 
grand  and  the  beautiful.  From  that  lofty  castle  on  the 
W urtzburg,  where  he  lay  concealed  for  a  time,  he  must  have 
looked  forth  not  unmoved  upon  the  scene  spread  out  below  him. 
Nature  in  her  gentlest  as  well  as  in  her  wildest  moods  had  a 
voice  for  him  ;  and  the  little  bird  that  perched  on  a  bough  by  his 
■window,  taking  no  thought  for  the  morrow,  but  singing  its 
vesper  hymn  in  quietness,  and  leaving  the  hand  that  holds 
the  great  round  world  to  take  care  of  it  and  of  the  morrow, 
taught  him  also  the  sweet  lesson  of  casting  all  his  care  upon 
the  same  mighty  arm,  the  same  kind  providence. 

Luther’s  great  peer  and  fellow  reformer,  Calvin,  was  a  man 
of  somewhat  sterner  mould.  We  look  in  vain  in  his  pages  for 
any  glow  of  enthusiasm  or  touch  of  sentiment.  Ilis  clear 
intellect  transmitted  the  pure  ray  of  truth  unrefracted  and 
undimmed,  and  no  play  of  prismatic  color  tinged  its  simple 
brightness.  Are  we  then  to  think  of  this  man,  so  calm,  and 
so  strong,  and  so  severe,  as  we  find  him  in  his  writings,  as 
having  no  gentleness  in  his  nature,  no  sympathy  with  man,  no 
love  of  the  beautiful;  as  being,  in  a  word,  all  intellect,  and  no 
soul?  If  so,  we  shall  greatly  mistake  him.  Few  spots  on 
earth  combine  in  greater  proportion  the  various  elements  that 
please  the  eye  and  the  cultivated  taste,  and  cast  the  spell  of 
beauty  over  the  willing  mind,  than  the  shores  and  waters  of 
that  fair  lake  on  which  Geneva  sits  looking  out  in  queenly 
pride.  Along  those  shores  did  the  great  reformer  never  walk 
at  even  tide,  musing,  his  great  soul  in  harmony  with  the 
scene  ?  And  did  he  never,  as  he  walked  and  mused,  raise  his 
eye  to  admire  that  beauty,  and  to  rest  for  a  moment  on  the 
snowy  summit  of  Mont  Blanc  in  the  distance,  lifting  his  broad 
shoulders  against  the  sky  ? 

We  think  of  Knox,  the  Scottish  reformer,  as  even  more 
harsh  and  stern  than  Calvin ;  yet  his  portrait  belies  him  not. 
You  see  in  that  clear  eye  and  that  lofty  brow,  blended  with 
vigor  of  intellect  and  firmness  of  will,  a  calm  and  lofty  repose, 
a  gentleness,  and  a  refinement  of  soul,  that  mark  the  highly 


62 


cultivated  man.  Cradled  among  the  hills,  and  familiar  with 
the  solitude  and  wildness  of  the  Scottish  highlands,  did  he 
never,  think  you,  climb  of  a  summer  or  an  autumn  day  to  the 
top  of  Arthur’s  Seat,  that  overlooks  palace  and  castle,  city  and 
sea,  and  enjoy  a  loveliness  seldom  surpassed  ? 

Edwards  was  a  man  of  giant  intellect ;  yet  we  find  him 
pausing  to  admire  the  flower  at  his  feet,  and  the  beauty  of  the 
landscape,  that  seemed  to  him  so  full  of  the  glory  of  God. 
We  see  him  planting  with  careful  hand  the  graceful  elms  in 
front  of  his  dwelling,  under  wdiose  shadow  he  might  sit,  and 
wdiich  still  stand  in  majestic  beauty  and  greenness,  the  orna¬ 
ment  and  pride  of  the  town. 

It  touches  us  to  read,  in  the  memoir  of  Bellamy",  that  letter 
to  his  daughter  after  the  death  of  his  wife : 


“  Saturday  morning ,  Sept.  3,  before  sunrise. 

“  The  solemn  day  is  past,  and  here  I  sit  alone — not  one  left — 
all  my  children  gone — my  wife  in  the  silent  grave !  My 
children  and  grandchildren  will  follow  soon  !  This  is  not  our 
home !  ” 

It  moves  us,  also,  to  a  kindly  feeling  for  the  somewhat  stern 
and  stoical  Hopkins,  to  hear  that  he  would  come  down  from 
his  study,  after  meditating  long  on  the  glory  and  love  of  God 
as  displayed  in  the  atonement  of  Christ,  and  rubbing  his 
hands  together  in  an  ecstasy  of  delight,  walk  back  and  forth 
across  the  room,  his  whole  countenance  beaming  with  holy  joy. 

But  we  must  not  dwell  upon  a  theme  which  has  already 
carried  us  beyond  the  intended  limits.  Such  as  I  have 
described  were  these  men,  who  in  their  day  stood  fore¬ 
most  in  the  pulpit,  and  foremost  in  theological  science ;  men 
of  strong  and  vigorous  minds,  of  earnest  purpose,  resolute 
and  fearless  men,  but  of  generous  impulses  and  noble  hearts. 
And  such,  need  I  add,  is  the  style  of  men  and  of  preachers 
that  we  of  the  present  time  need,  and  hope  to  produce. 

For  this  purpose,  the  Congregational  churches  of  the 
Northwest  open  here  a  school  of  theological  training.  They 


63 


consecrate  it,  however,  not  to  a  sect,  or  party,  not  to  a  creed 
or  catechism,  but  to  Christ  and  his  church.  The  great  eternal 
principles  of  divine  truth  they  place  at  its  foundation.  On 
them,  as  on  a  corner  stone,  tried  and  precious,  let  it  rest.  If 
those  principles  endure,  if  those  truths  stand,  it  shall  stand 
with  them.  If  they  fall  and  come  to  nought,  it  shall  fall  with 
them. 

Of  myself,  I  can  only  say,  that  as  I  contemplate  the  great¬ 
ness  of  the  work  to  which  you  have  called  me,  and  my  own 
personal  unfitness  for  it,  of  which  I  am  but  too  painfully 
conscious,  it  is  not  without  hesitation  that  I  assume  the  duties 
of  the  chair  in  which  you  now  install  me.  But  your  cordial 
and  earnest  welcome  gives  me  courage  and  strength.  I  cast 
myself  fearlessly  upon  your  manly  and  generous  hearts,  and 
upon  the  strong  arm  of  my  God,  who  giveth  wisdom  to  them 
that  lack,  and  wdio  hath  said,  “  My  grace  is  sufficient  for 
thee  “  As  thy  day,  so  shall  thy  strength  be.  ” 

And  now,  O  God !  we  commend  to  thee  this  institution.  Be 
thou  its  strength  and  its  defense.  Guard  it  against  the  dangers 
to  which  it  may  be  exposed.  Sustain  it  during  its  years  of 
infancy,  and  the  struggles  of  its  growth  and  early  manhood. 
Raise  up  friends  and  helpers  for  it  in  its  darkest  hours.  Let 
no  dissensions  or  jealousies  spring  up  among  those  who  sustain 
it,  to  diminish  its  strength  or  mar  its  usefulness.  Let  it  be 
a  fountain  open  for  the  healing  of  the  nations.  May  its 
streams  mingle  with  the  great  current  of  the  world’s  thought 
and  feeling,  to  make  it  purer  and  better.  When  they,  who 
now  with  prayer  and  faith  open  and  consecrate  this  institution, 
shall  have  passed  away  from  the  scenes  of  earthly  toil,  may  its 
streams,  pure  and  sweet,  still  flow  on  to  bless  the  world,  and 
make  glad  the  city  of  our  God,  until  they  shall  at  last  be 
swallowed  up  in  the  river  of  life  that  flows  from  beneath  thy 
throne. 


65 


% 


DR.  KITCIIEL’S  CHARGE 

TO 

TROFESSOR  BARTLETT. 


My  Beloved  Brother  : — In  tlie  equipment  of  tliis  school 
of  theological  instruction,  the  Board  of  Directors  have  deemed 
it  the  will  of  the  Master  that  you  should  render  us  this  special 
service  in  the  chair  of  Biblical  literature.  We  have  dared, 
with  your  consent  and  the  honorable  concurrence  of  the  Church 
you  have  served,  to  transfer  you  to  this  post.  And  now  as  we 
welcome  you  to  this  office,  and  give  over  this  great  trust  into 
your  hand,  in  the  name  of  the  Churches  I  give  you  this 
charge. 

What  we  especially  commit  to  you  as  your  peculiar  trust, 
is  the  grounding  of  the  ministry  here  to  be  trained  in  the 
elements  of  Christian  science,  laying  the  foundations  of  an 
accurate  faith  and  of  theological  completeness  in  the  critical 
study  of  the  inspired  records.  Your  work  is  fundamental. 
These  documents  of  our  Christian  faith,  these  lively  oracles 
of  God,  these  words  in  which  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  taught,  are 
prime  and  vital  as  the  basis  of  all  true  theology ;  and  as  far 
downward  as  the  roots  of  our  theology  run  into  the  under 
soil  of  sacred  scholarship,  so  high  will  rise  the  fruitful  growth 
of  a  sound  faith  and  a  productive  ministry. 

These  are  in  truth  the  most  nutritive  of  all  Christian  studies. 
We  charge  you,  therefore,  to  take  it  upon  your  mind  and 
heart,  as  our  Sacred  Literateur  and  Christian  Philologian,  to 
lead  your  pupils  back  to  the  sources  of  truth,  to  the  tongues 
in  which  holy  men  of  old  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost  to 
utter  the  mind  of  God,  back  into  that  whole  field  of  life  and 
thought,  in  which  the  sacred  records  had  their  birth.  Seek 
thus  to  imbue  them  with  the  very  spirit  and  inmost  signifi¬ 
cance  of  God’s  word.  For  if  ever  God’s  sure  word  is  to  have 
9 


66 


sure  interpretation — if  ever  it  is  to  be  wrested  from  the  bands 
of  errorists  and  dreamers,  who  find  in  it  what  they  bring  the 
will  to  find — if  it  is  to  utter  to  us  in  these  last  times  just  what 
God  meant  for  all  times,  giving  a  definite  and  certain  sense,  it 
is  to  be  through  the  service  of  Christian  philolo'gy  and  sacred 
criticism,  sifting  the  wheat  of  God’s  very  meaning  from  the 
chaff  of  fond  fantasies  and  forced  interpretations,  from  shallow 
constructions  and  appearances  of  truth.  We  commit  this 
trust  to  you. 

And  guard  this  on  the  other  hand :  yours  is  the  department 
of  theological  culture  which  most  incurs  the  suspicion  of 
lying  remote  from  practical  use  and  earnest  work,  the  field 
deemed  abstruse  and  scholastic.  I  charge  you,  redeem  these 
most  fundamental  and  nourishing  studies  from  all  just  im¬ 
putation  of  barrenness  and  the  pedantry  of  esoteric  lore.  To 
this  end,  that  our  sacred  erudition  and  our  systematic  theo¬ 
logy  may  both  be  and  seem  to  be  most  fruitful  and  pertinent 
to  the  needs  of  a  working  ministry,  I  charge  you,  and  your 
associates  in  other  departments  of  instruction,  to  draw  very 
near  to  these  churches  of  Christ  in  the  intimacy  of  a  sym¬ 
pathetic  confidence,  and  in  communion  of  spirit  and  purpose. 
We  identify  this  institution  with  the  churches.  If  it  differ 
in  any  respect  from  kindred  seminaries,  it  is  in  our  aim  to 
make  it  an  integral  part  of  this  circle  of  churches,  an  outgrowth 
of  their  strength,  and  a  minister  of  their  want.  An  oro^an  of 
the  body  of  Christ,  it  rests  on  the  bosom  of  these  churches, 
has  its  life  from  them,  depends  on  their  sympathy  and  liberal¬ 
ity,  and  lies  with  them  to  nourish  and  direct.  Purposely  we 
place  it  thus  in  the  hands  of  the  churches,  and  seek  in  all 
wa}7s  to  bind  it  closely  to  them.  I  charge  you  and  your 
associates  to  cherish  this  intimate  connection.  Have  loving 
confidence  in  these  churches  and  their  ministry. 

Our  special  hope  is  that  we  may  keep  so  open  the  channels 
of  intercommunion  between  the  churches  and  this  Seminary, 
that  the  ministry  here  trained  shall  be  in  their  inmost  spirit 
and  culture  attempered  to  the  wants  of  these  churches.  We 
would  have  the  popular  currents  of  piety  and  feeling  flow 


freely  through  this  Seminary,  and  bathe  both  teacher  and 
student.  From  this  action  and  reaction  on  each  other,  we 
count  on  a  tenderer  sympathy  between  them,  on  a  larger 
development  of  the  churches’  power  to  supply  from  themselves 
the  tit  material  of  their  ministry,  and  not  least,  a  more  popular 
and  practical  style  of  theological  training.  We  anticipate 
thus  a  ministry  not  less  complete  in  scholarly  attainment,  and 
yet  readier  to  their  work,  tempered  to  the  field  an^l  the  time, 
alive  with  the  life  of  men,  and  knowing  the  joints  of  human 
nature  and  the  social  soul,  through  which  to  smite  home  to 
the  heart. 

For  this  we  have  meditated  in  our  plan  to  throw  forth  our 
young  men,  for  a  portion  of  their  course,  in  the  pliant  gristle 
of  their  ministry,  among  the  pastors  and  churches,  to  try  their 
weapons  and  their  work,  to  breathe  common  breath  with  the 
people,  to  catch  their  tone,  and  know  and  feel  all  that  stirs  the 
Christian  heart  in  this  wide  fraternity  of  God’s  children.  If 
any  thing  be  trustworthy,  it  is  the  moving  of  God  in  the 
heart  of  his  people.  “  lie  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what 
the  Spirit  saitli  unto  the  churches.”  The  inspiration  of  Christ 
is  in  them.  Most  of  all,  God  tells  his  mind  to  his  churches. 
And  the  closer  we  can  bind  this  institution  to  the  warm  heart 
and  throbbing  life  of  the  churches,  and  the  more  it  shall  be 
bathed  in  their  spirit,  and  share  their  divine  impulses,  in  the 
burden  and  trial  of  their  pioneering  and  construction  work,  in 
their  revivals,  in  their  passion  and  principle  of  freedom,  in 
their  reformatory  wrestle  with  social  wrong  and  organic  sin ; 
the  more  it  shall  be  one  with  them  in  all  these,  the  truer  it 
will  be  to  the  vocation  wherewith  God  has  called  it ;  the 
dearer  to  these  churches,  and  the  richer  the  service  it  shall 
render. 

Let  this  mutual  trust  be  cherished  between  us.  We  pledge 
you  our  confidence  and  lively  care.  Our  jewels  will  be  in 
your  keeping ;  our  select  ones,  anointed  of  God,  we  commit  to 
your  tuition.  We  will  surround  you,  as  fast  as  we  may,  with 
more  ample  appliances  for  your  work.  God  help  you,  dear 
brother,  to  fulfil  the  high  trust  we  commit  to  you. 


I 


STUDY  OF  GOD’S  WORD 


IN  THE 


ORIGINAL  TONGUES. 


INAUGURAL  ADDRESS 


DELIVERED  THURSDAY,  CCT.  21,  1S58, 

BY  BEY.  SAMUEL  C.  BARTLETT, 


PROFESSOR  OF  SACRED  LITERATURE  IN  CHICAGO  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY. 


. 


71 


ADDRESS. 


There  are  occasions  which  prescribe  to  a  speaker  his  theme ; 
and  perhaps  none  more  clearly  than  the  present.  Pastors  and 
delegates  from  the  several  Northwestern  states  have  assembled 
to  witness  the  first  workings  of  a  great  and  cherished  enter¬ 
prise,  and  to  deliberate  for  its  future  prosperity.  The  claims 
of  the  Science  of  Theology  have  already  found  eloquent  ex¬ 
pression  in  the  hearing  of  this  Convention.  Appointed,  as  I 
have  been,  to  open  another  great  department  of  instruction  in 
this  first  Theological  Seminary  of  our  denomination  in  the 
Northwest,  my  apppropriate  theme  is  clearly  indicated. 

I  propose  to  specify  some  inducements  which  should  lead 
ministers  of  the  gospel  to  a  critical  knowledge  of  God’s  W ord 
in  the  Original  Tongues. 

This  theme  comprises  more  than  a  knowledge  of  Greek  and 
Hebrew  words,  with  their  forms,  meaning  and  construction. 
It  includes  all  that  acquaintance  with  the  history,  geography 
and  modes  of  life,  which  forms  an  essential  element  in  the 
historico-grammatical,  or  true  method  of  interpreting  the 
r  Bible. 

And  first,  the  entire  intellectual  position  of  a  minister  of 
the  gospel  should  be  a  guaranty  for  his  prosecution  of  this 
study.  It  is  plainly  invited  by  the  general  spirit  and  tendency 
of  the  profession.  The  clergy,  as  a  class,  are  constrained  to 
be  highly  educated  men.  Denominations  that  have  denied 
the  necessity,  have  been  compelled  to  recede  from  that  position. 
The  profession  presupposes,  invites,  necessitates  culture.  It 
cherishes  a  delicate  sensibility.  It  tasks  the  highest  powers  of 
intellect.  Its  straight  path  lies  by  the  highest  peaks  of 


72 


thought,  and  along  the  great  plateaus  of  learning.  The 
volume  which  contains  its  message  and  commission,  has  been 
the  focus  of  the  world’s  literature.  From  the  time  when 
supernatural  inspiration  ceased,  the  ministry,  more  than  any 
other  class,  have  been  of  studious  habits  and  liberal  culture. 

The  profession  is,  in  this  respect,  a  favored  one.  The  great 
lawyer,  or  the  eminent  physician,  is  commonly  forced,  by  his 
very  success,  to  sacrifice  his  literary  sympathies,  and  concen¬ 
trate  his  energies  on  the  technical  details  of  his  profession. 
A  young  lawyer,  of  scholarly  sympathies,  while  rising  rapidly 
in  his  profession,  recently  remarked  to  me :  “  I  have  been 
several  years  in  the  study  and  practice  of  the  law,  and,  until 
sickness  forced  me  to  turn  aside,  I  have  found  nothing  to  keep 
alive  my  literary  taste.”  A  Choate,  refreshing  himself  with 
kEschylus  and  Homer ;  a  Brougham,  or  a  Legare,  grappling 
with  Demosthenes,  are  among  the  few  exceptions.  Still  fewer, 
perhaps,  are  such  exceptions  in  the  medical  profession.  Such 
men  as  Latham,  Holmes  and  Oliver,  have  gained  their  stand¬ 
ing  in  the  ranks  of  literature  by  renouncing  the  active  duties 
of  their  calling.  But  in  all  past  ages  and  at  the  present  time, 
men  have  learned  to  look  to  the  ministry  as  the  chief  patrons 
and  depositaries  of  whatever  liberal  culture  was  in  existence. 
And  the  preacher  of  the  gospel  plainly  resists  the  powerful 
tendencies  of  his  employment,  when  he  fails  to  be  a  man  of 
varied  and  elevated  intellectual  aspirations. 

But  no  form  of  scholarship,  surely,  is  so  legitimate,  and  so 
elevated,  and  so  inviting,  as  that  which  brings  him  into  the 
closest  contact  with  the  word  and  the  mind  of  God.  If  the 
picture-words  of  Homer,  the  tragic  grandeur  of  Hiscliylus,  and 
the  nervous  power  of  Demosthenes,  command  the  scholar’s 
profound  attention,  how  shall  it  he  with  the  utterance  that 
came  from  heaven  ? 

Secular  minds  are  irresistibly  drawn  to  the  minute,  elaborate 
study  of  God’s  works.  They  bring  the  telescope  and  micro¬ 
scope,  they  tax  every  form  of  human  art  and  science  in  the 
laborious  investigation.  Instead  of  resting  satisfied  with  the 
surface  view,  they  probe  the  inmost  structure  ;  they  analyze — 


73 


\ 


they  compare — they  exhaust  the  powers  of  research.  They 
trace  the  dim  relations,  they  track  the  subtle  fluid,  they  inspect 
the  living  tissue,  they  hunt  the  infusoria,  they  explore  the 
water  drop,  they  resolve  the  old  familiar  compounds.  They 
re-examine  the  objects  that  have  been  searched  a  thousand 
times.  A  Davy,  Franklin,  Ehrenberg,  Faraday,  earn  their 
renown  by  re-exploring  what  the  whole  world  has  seen, 
and  dig  their  jewels  from  beneath  the  paths  that  the  human 
race  have  trodden.  Other  men  enthusiastically  follow,  in  long 
crowds,  to  gaze  upon  the  fruits  of  their  toil. 

If  it  be  so  with  the  works,  how  shall  it  be  with  the  word  of 
God — the  volume  in  which  He  reveals  Himself  in  every  form 
of  majesty  and  grace,  with  all  that  is  kindling  in  thought  and 
attractive  in  style  ?  Is  the  superficial  handling,  the  second-hand 
knowledge  of  that  volume,  pardonable  in  a  class  of  men 
whose  training  calls  them  to  high  intelligence ;  whose  vocation 
leads  them  primarily  and  continually  to  its  pages ;  whose 
professional  necessities  should  furnish  the  motive,  and  their 
daily  habits  the  zest  for  such  a  study  ?  What  stimulus  does 
such  a  man  recpiire  for  prosecuting — rather  what  apology  shall 
he  make  for  withholding,  that  profound,  yea,  microscopic  study 
of  God’s  Word,  which  is  so  abundantly  bestowed  upon  his 
works  ? 

If,  aside  from  its  origin  and  its  spiritual  relations,  that 
volume,  with  its  hoary  antiquity,  its  immeasurable  historic 
connections,  its  interweaving  with  the  sensibilities  of  the 
human  race,  its  high  literary  attractions,  and  the  fascinating 
power  that  has  cast  a  spell  over  all  modern  literature,  and 
tinged  all  modern  poetry,  till  even  deistic  Carlyle  does  it 
literary  homage,  as  containing  the  “  grandest  things  ever 
written  with  pen” ;  and  raving  Byron  sucks  his  sweetest  honey 
from  its  pages ;  and  blaspheming  Shelley  wears  it  in  his 
bosom  when  he  sinks  in  the  bay  of  Spezzia ; — if  that  volume 
occupies  a  position  so  commanding,  that  many  a  mere  student, 
unsanctified  in  heart,  has  devoted  his  life-labor  to  the  critical 
study  of  its  text,  what  are  its  claims  on  the  Christian  scholar, 

the  Christian  minister?  Tell  me,  what  object  in  the  whole 

10 


74: 


range  of  science  and  literature  is  so  worthy  of  his  intimate 
knowledge,  as  the  volume  which  came,  and  just  as  it  came,  from 
the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost  ?  And,  except  for  some 
extraordinary  obstacle,  is  it  not  a  shame  to  him,  as  a  man  of 
intelligence,  in  such  a  vocation,  not  to  stand  at  the  fountain 
head?  Do  we  call  that  man  a  classical  scholar  who  knows 
Homer  and  Demosthenes  only  through  translations?  or  an 
Italian  scholar,  who  knows  only  Hoole’s  Tasso,  or  Carey’s 
Dante  ?  And  how  can  a  man  be  a  true  biblical  scholar,  except 
as  he  knows  the  Bible  in  the  original  tongues  ? 

In  the  second  place,  a  healthy  religious  sentiment  in  the 
minister  of  the  gospel  should  carry  him  directly  to  the  Greek 
and  Hebrew  scriptures.  He  will  seek  the  innermost  place  to 
hear  the  “oracles  of  God.” 

Ho  doubt  there  is  a  mere  romantic  and  unregenerate  senti¬ 
mentalism,  which  loves  to  substitute  adventitious  aids  for  the 
legitimate  influences  of  God’s  Word.  It  chiefly  affects  the  dim 
religious  light  of  colored  glass,  the  heavenward  pointings  of  a 
Gothic  arch,  the  sensual  delights  of  elaborate  music ,  for  the 
swelling  praise  of  the  great  congregation,  the  sanctity  of  dra¬ 
peries  and  lawn,  and  the  venerableness  of  human  compositions. 
It  invents  associations  and  rites,  as  if  for  the  purpose  of 
interposing  a  veil  between  the  carnal  soul  and  the  spiritual 
God. 

But  there  is  a  different,  an  opposite  sentiment — manly, 
healthy  and  Christian — which  tenderly  lays  hold  of  all  the 
means  that  God  himself  has  furnished,  to  approach  into  his 
very  presence.  It  seeks  the  nearest  point  of  contact.  It 
listens  for  the  first  breathings  of  God’s  voice.  It  puts  off  its 
shoes  where  the  ground  is  indeed  holy,  and  draws  devoutly 
near  where  the  fire  of  God’s  presence  truly  burns.  It  loves 
all  the  genuine  concomitants  of  that  presence  ;  watches  for  the 
sound  of  His  going  forth,  and  leans  forward  to  catch  His  words 
as  they  fall  all  fresh  and  breathing  from  His  lips.  It  says : 

“  Still  all  my  song  shall  be 
Nearer,  my  God,  to  thee, 

Nearer  to  thee.” 


75 


So  heaved  the  hearts  of  the  pious  Israelites,  as  they  wound 
their  way  up  to  the  seat  of  God’s  peculiar  presence  on  his 
chosen  hill,  and  they  sang  those  exultant  “  Songs  of  Degrees.” 
They  felt  the  spirit  of  the  place  flowing  upon  them  like  the 
fresh  air  from  the  mountains  round  about.  Their  souls  grew 
jubilant,  and  they  broke  forth :  “  1  was  glad  when  they  said 
unto  me,  Let  us  go  into  the  house  of  the  Lord  ” — “  As  the 
mountains  are  round  about  Jerusalem,  so  the  Lord  is  round 
about  his  people,  from  henceforth  and  forever.”  There  are 

lawful  sensibilities  of  the  cultivated  Christian  heart,  which 

/ 

reach  out  after  such  proximities  to  God.  The  scenes  where 
God  exhibited  his  mighty  power,  and  where  the  Son  wrought 
out  the  great  redemption,  have  had  attractions  not  alone  for 
the  crusader,  the  formalist,  and  the  sentimentalist.  Spiritual 
and  manly  hearts  have  been  greatly  refreshed  in  the  midst  of 
them.  “  Oh  it  is  pleasant,”  wrote  the  godly  McCheyne,  “  to 
wander  by  the  very  lake  where  Jesus  wandered.”  “AVe 
went  round  most  of  the  places  to  be  visited  near  Jerusalem. 
Reuhaim,  Gihon,  Siloa’s  brook,  that  flowed  fast  bv  the  oracle  of 
God,  the  pool  of  Siloam,  the  place  where  Jesus  wept  over  the 
city — Bethany,  of  all  places  my  favorite.  Such  a  day  we 
never  spent  before. ”*  The  loving  and  beloved  Edwards,  young¬ 
est  of  that  honored  name,  pined  in  his  dying  days  for  the  same 
privilege  ;  and  he  requested  the  friend  whom  he  had  hoped  to 
accompany  to  those  hallowed  places,  that  “  as  he  plucked  a  leaf 
or  gathered  a  flower,  here  and  there,  he  would  lay  aside  one, 
also,  for  him.”f  And  in  seven  days  from  the  time  when  the 
message  reached  the  Holy  Land,  another  message  came,  that 
the  meek  disciple  had  gone  to  a  holier  land,  to  pluck  for  him¬ 
self  leaf,  flower,  and  fruit,  from  the  Tree  of  Life. 

Still  it  is  not  chiefly  among  inanimate  scenes,  from  which 
the  glory  of  God  and  of  God’s  people  have  long  departed, 
that  those  outer  approaches  are  to  be  found,  but  in  the  “  lively 
oracles.”  And  it  is  the  precious  privilege  of  the  Christian 
scholar,  by  the  knowledge  of  those  tongues  in  which  God 

*  Letters  from  the  Holy  Land,  pp.  101,  1Y5.  f  Hackett’s  Illus.  of  the  Bible, 
p.  150. 


76 


spake  to  man,  to  come  almost  into  the  presence  of  inspired 
prophet  and  apostle.  It  is  no  mean  joy  to  take  np  the  identical 
strain  that  David  sung  upon  the  psaltery  and  the  harp  of 
solemn  sound,  and  to  drink  up  those  gracious  words,  the  very 
words  that  came  from  the  mouth  of  the  Son  of  God.  It  seems 
to  draw  even  the  devoutest  spirit  closer  into  the  great  company 
of  the  first  horn,  and  nearer  the  bosom  of  the  chief  beloved.  So 
have  the  best  saints  expressed  themselves. 

When  that  laborious  and  honored  man  of  God,  Asahel 
-  Hettleton,  had  run  his  race  on  earth,  and  was  meekly  waiting 
his  liberation  from  the  bed  of  anguish  to  the  mansions  of  the 
Father,  he  who  for  more  than  forty  years  had  made  the  word 
of  God  his  almost  hourly  study,  now  sought  it  more  than 
ever.  And  what  might  seem  strange  in  such  a  man,  in  such 
a  condition,  he  turned  fondly  to  the  sacred  word  in  the  original 
tongue.  He  kept  his  Greek  Testament  and  Greek  Concord¬ 
ance  by  his  side,  and  diligently  compared  passage  with  passage. 
“  I  found  him  one  morning,”  says  Dr.  Tyler,  “  with  his  Greek 
Testament  in  his  hand.  He  said,  ‘You  will  perhaps  wonder 
that  I  should  be  reading  this.  You  may  suppose  that  a  person 
in  my  situation  would  prefer  to  read  the  translation.  But  I 
seem  to  get  nearer  the  fountain  when  I  read  the  original.  It 
is  like  drinking  water  at  the  spring,  rather  than  from  a  vessel 
in  which  it  has  been  carried  away.  I  get  shades  of  meaning 
which  can  not  be  expressed  in  any  translation.’  ”*  Such  was 
the  instinct  of  the  aged  practical  servant  of  God,  close  on  the 
borders  of  heaven. 

So  long  as  the  beloved  Edwards  could  hold  a  book,  he  con¬ 
tinued  to  read  hi§  Hebrew  Bible.  And  in  his  last  days  it  was 
fresh  from  the  words  of  the  sweet  singer  of  Israel  that  his  soul 
sometimes  seemed  to  be  borne,  in  prayer,  on  angels’  wings  to 
God.f 

Yes,  there  are  “shades  of  meaning”  in  God’s  word  which 
no  translation  can  fully  convey  in  their  freshness.  It  is  indeed 
a  peculiarity  of  the  sacred  volume  that  it  bears  translation 


*  Memoir  of  Nettleton,  p.  305.  f  Park’s  Memoir  of  B.  B.  Edwards. 


Ti 


into  all  the  languages  of  men,  as  no  other  volume  can ;  and 
the  special  favor  of  God  to  ns,  that  we  have  a  translation 
which,  for  racy  life,  is  unsurpassed.  Yet  the  dying  Hettleton 
knew  what  he  said.  The  lively  words  of  the  Holy  Ghost  are 
the  best  words  in  which  to  hear  the  voice  of  God.  He  is  his 
own  best  interpreter.  That  song,  “  The  Lord  is  my  shepherd,” 
breathes  a  serener  repose  in  the  sweet  words  of  its  native 
tongue.  There  is  in  the  prayer  of  Habakkuk  a  sublimity  of 
personification,  melting  into  a  depth  of  love  and  submission ; 
there  is  a  grandeur  of  march  and  a  pathos  of  sorrow  in  the 
strains  of  the  prophets  ;  there  are  bursting  hallelujahs  in  the 
closing  psalms ;  there  are  pourings-out  of  soul  in  the  letters 
of  Paul ;  there  is  a  depth  of  tenderness  in  the  last  conversation 
of  the  Savior,  that  never  can  be  transferred  in  full,  more  than 
the  gushings  of  an  Eolian  harp,  the  glories  of  an  autumn 
sunset,  or  the  sweep  of  an  ocean  storm. 

Hot  many  months  ago,  on  entering  the  study  of  a  prominent 
Christian  minister  and  scholar,  past  the  age  of  three  score 
years,  I  saw  his  Hebrew  Bible  lying  open  on  his  desk,  sur¬ 
rounded  by  the  means  and  marks  of  daily  study ;  and  he  said 
to  me,  “  As  I  advance  in  years,  and  look  forward  to  the  time 
when  I  shall  be  laid  aside  from  active  labors,  I  am  cultivating, 
as  a  chief  privilege  of  my  old  age,  the  power  to  read  God’s 
word  just  as  it  came  from  God.'1  It  ought  to  be  esteemed  a 
great  privilege,  by  every  minister  of  God’s  Word,  thus  to  press 
his  way  through  the  whole  crowd  of  interpreters,  and  back  of 
the  translator’s  veil,  into  the  audience  chamber  of  the  speak¬ 
ing  God.  A  healthy  religious  sentiment  will  lead  him  there. 


In  the  third  place,  the  spirit  of  reverence  for  God’s  commu¬ 
nications,  should  constrain  the  minister  to  study  those  commu¬ 
nications  in  their  original  form.  If  the  Holy  Ghost  saw  fit  to 
teach  his  ancient  messengers,  precisely  “what”  and  “how 
they  should  speak,”  *  can  that  be  a  right  state  of  mind  in  the 
modern  religious  teacher,  which  does  not  care  to  learn  precisely 
how  the  Spirit  did  utter  the  message  ?  If  there  are  “  words 


*  Matt,  x,  20. 


78 


which  the  Holy  Ghost  teacheth,”  what  state  of  mind  is  that, 
in  God's  ambassador,  which  is  equally  content  with  human 
substitutes  ?  What  spirit  is  that,  in  the  official  expositor  of 
the  sacred  word,  which  voluntarily  stays  without,  and  takes 
his  message  at  second-hand,  when  God  invites  him,  so  to 
speak,  with  Moses  upon  Sinai,  and  into  the  upper  chamber 
with  the  twelve  ?  Occasionally,  there  are  men  plainly  called 
of  God  to  preach  the  gospel,  from  whom  insuperable  obstacles 
withhold  the  privilege ;  but  must  not  even  they  burn  with 
desire  to  be  familiar  with  the  human  idioms  which  the  Holy 
Ghost  has  chosen,  and  to  be  penetrated  with  all  the  nice 
modulations  of  Ilis  speech  ?  I  press  these  questions.  They 
concern  the  proper  honoring  of  God’s  messages. 

r 

Are  not  ministers  of  the  gospel,  in  these  times,  loudly  called 
upon  to  return  from  their  own  brain-spinnings,  and  put  more 
honor  upon  God's  W ord — his  very  word  ?  W e  recoil  with 
horror  from  the  sceptical  tendencies  of  the  time,  which  delibe- 
ratelv  class  our  holy  volume  in  the  same  rank  with  common 
histories,  and  the  moral  precepts  of  Socrates  and  Confucius. 
But  are  our  skirts  altogether  clear  in  this  matter  ?  Hoes  this 
spirit  find  no  countenance  in  the  ministry  ?  Is  there  not  a 
strong  tendency,  even  in  that  portion  of  the  Protestant  church 
which  prides  itself  on  its  orthodoxy,  if  not  to  depress  the 
word  of  God,  vet  practically  to  raise  the  teachings  of  men  to  the 
same  level?  A  great  and  growing  tendency  to  raise  sharp 
discussions,  and  wage  interminable  warfare  over  the  ipsissima 
verba  of  some  human  statement,  on  the  part  of  scores  of  men 
who  seldom  cherish  the  thought,  certainly  do  not  possess  the 
power,  to  conduct  an  independent  discussion  on  the  words 
employed  by  the  Holy  Ghost  ?  Is  not  this  so  ?  And  is  it  not 
a  reproach  that  so  it  is  ?  Can  we  fail  to  see  the  significance, 
and  the  necessary  influence  of  such  tendencies  as  these  ? 

Let  us  learn  to  honor  God  by  poring  more  diligently,  and 
more  carefully,  and  more  solicitously  far,  over  his  word  and 
its  modes  of  speech,  than  over  the  phrases  of  any  man  or  men. 
It  was  an  admirable  reply  of  the  stout  old  reformer  himself, 
to  the  two  young  stranger  students,  who  met  him  disguised  as 


T9 


a  knight  at  the  Black  Bear  Inn,  and  asked  of  him  if  Luther 
were  at  Wittemberg,  adding  that  they  were  on  the  way  from 
Basle  to  Wittemberg  to  see  and  hear  the  doctor.  “Philip 
Melancthon,”  said  he,  “  will  he  there ;  and  if  you  will  he 
advised  by  me,  apply  yourselves  to  the  Greek  and  Hebrew, 
that  you  may  understand  the  Holy  Scriptures.”*  The  time¬ 
serving  Erasmus  nobly  said :  “  A  spiritual  temple  must  he 
raised  in  desolated  Christendom.  The  mighty  of  this  world 
will  contribute  toward  it  their  marble,  their  ivory  and  their 
gold.  I,  who  am  poor  and  humble,  offer  the  foundation 
stone” — and  he  laid  down  before  the  world  his  edition  of  the 
Greek  Testament.  “  It  is  not  from  human  reservoirs,  fetid 
with  stagnant  waters,  that  we  should  draw  the  doctrines  of 
salvation,  hut  from  the  pure  and  abundant  streams  that  flow 
from  the  heart  of  God.”  f  If  we  ever  hearken  to  the  fathers, 
then,  let  us  listen  most  reverently  of  all,  when  they  send  us 
straight  to  the  pure  source  of  their  light  and  ours. 

The  considerations  thus  far  adduced,  influential  though  tliev 
ought  to  be,  are  yet  only  subsidiary  to  other  and  imperative 
reasons,  on  which  I  rest  the  chief  weight  of  my  argument. 

/  O  «v  O 

and  to  which  I  now  proceed. 

A  fourth  inducement  to  that  exact  knowledge  of  God’s 
Word,  which  includes  the  study  of  it  in  the  original  languages, 
should  be  the  desire  to  gain  a  biblical  theology.  It  is  a  great 
and  pressing  reason,  with  which  the  preacher  may  not  trifle. 

We  are  never  to  forget,  that  our  whole  theology  lies  in  the 
sacred  scriptures.  The  power  of  the  ministry  to  read  those 
scriptures,  as  they  came  from  the  Holy  Ghost,  is  each  man’s 
separate  key  to  the  great  storehouse  of  sacred  truth,  and  one 
of  the  chief  guaranties  of  Protestantism.  While  the  Bomanist 
locates  his  theology  in  the  church,  and  the  rationalist  in  human 
reason,  we  go  in  the  use  of  reason,  and,  if  it  may  be,  with  the 
church,  to  the  W ord  of  God.  In  the  last  result  to  this  alone  we  go. 

It  is  hard  to  hold  the  middle  way  between  rationalism  and 
traditionalism — or  rather,  the  heavenly  way  above  them.  And 


*  Merle  D’Aubigne’s  His.  of  the  Ref.,  iii,  69.  \  Id.,  v.  153. 


80 


accordingly,  the  Protestant  church  is  incessantly  swaying  to 
one  or  other  of  these  seductive  errors.  It  continually 
exhibits  two  sections  or  tendencies,  often  alternating,  often 
contemporaneous,  not  seldom  conjoined.  As  the  rationalist 
usually  dogmatizes,  so  the  chief  advocate  of  traditions  in 
theology  often  is  the  most  daring  speculator.  He  perpetually 
speculates,  and  insists  on  your  accepting  his  favorite  specula¬ 
tions.  lie  brings  you  some  supra-scriptural  confession  of 
faith,  and  presses  its  very  words,  as  though  they  were  inspired 
words.  He  plants  himself  on  some  favorite  theologian — some 
Turretin,  or  Stapfer — and  admits  no  man  to  orthodoxy  unless 
he  receive  the  gospel  according  to  Stapfer.  His  talk  is  of  “  the 
standards,”  more  than  of  The  Standard.  He  urges  more 
earnestly  to  hold  fast  the  doctrines  of  the  Puritans,  or  the 
Reformers,  than  those  of  Christ  and  his  apostles.*  And  is  it 
not  a  little  remarkable,  that  in  our  day  many  who  claim  to  be 
chief  defenders  of  God’s  truth,  are  the  very  men  who  seem  al¬ 
most  to  disparage  his  Word  by  their  inordinate  emphasis  on  the 
traditions  of  men.  Those  who  did  not  know  their  deeper 
drift,  might  think  that  they  displaced  God  by  the  theologians, 
and  the  sacred  volume  by  some  creed  or  catechism. 

Now  never  let  us  disparage  the  great  evangelical  theologians 
or  their  works.  They  deserve  our  profound  veneration  and 
gratitude.  They  have  been  our  schoolmasters  to  show  us 
Christ’s  gospel.  But  they  are  not  the  head  of  the  church — 
they  must  not  “  as  God,  sit  in  the  temple  of  God.”  Let  us 
have  no  particle  of  sympathy  with  flippant  sneers  at  the  great 
creeds.  Those  creeds  are  way-marks  of  the  clearest  intellects 
and  the  best  hearts  of  the  great  company  of  believers,  explor¬ 
ing  their  way  through  the  plan  of  redemption.  But  they  are 
not  our  ultimate  rule  of  faith.  We  gratefully  acknowledge 

*  Such  was  the  main  drift  of  a  speech  made  some  four  years  ago  to  a  Xew  Eng¬ 
land  Association,  by  a  venerable  man  who  claimed  to  speak  in  behalf  of  a  body 
including  many  hundred  churches.  He  exhorted  to  hold  fast  the  doctrines  of  the 
Puritan  Fathers,  with  so  marked  an  omission  of  all  reference  to  the  word  of  God, 
as  to  call  forth  the  suggestion  next  day,  that  great  as  was  the  admiration  of  those 
brethren  for  John  Calvin  and  John  Robinson,  still  deeper  was  their  reverence  for 
John  the  Apostle,  and  his  fellows. 


81 


the  light  they  cast  upon  the  teachings  of  the  gospel.  They 
are  rich  with  the  growth  of  time,  and  the  fruits  of  profound 
reflection.  Just  as  our  admirable  version  of  the  Bible  was 
compiled  from  twenty  different  versions,*  so  these  compends 
and  schemes  of  its  doctrine  are  gatherings-up  of  countless  rills 
of  Christian  thought,  the  accumulation  of  eighteen  hundred 
years.  The  great  minds  of  Origen,  Augustine,  Calvin,  Ed¬ 
wards,  and  hosts  of  other  noble  men,  all  lent  their  tribute ; 
and  from  the  ages  past  the  stream  comes  rolling  down  to  us, 
swelling  at  every  turn  with  the  wisdom  of  councils  and  synods 
and  assemblies,  of  thoughtful  minds  and  pious  hearts.  Foolish 
is  he  that  rejects  those  helps  ;  insane,  that  derides  them.  Ro 
man  of  three  score  years  and  ten,  can  afford  to  despise  two 
thousand  years  of  religious  thinking  by  the  whole  church  of 
Christ.  A  few  years  since,  a  young  man  commenced  the 
study  of  theology  with  nothing  to  aid  him  but  the  naked  text 
of  the  English  Bible,  purposing  to  take  no  human  systems  to 
his  help  till  he  had  fully  formed  his  own  theology.  He  soon 
gave  up  the  effort.  Wisely.  As  well  might  a  modern  ship 
builder  refuse  to  look  at  a  model,  till  he  had  built  his  own 
vessel ;  for  the  interval  between  a  Roman  galley  and  an  ocean 
steamer,  is  hardly  greater  than  that  between  the  so-called 
Apostles’  Creed,  and  the  Westminster  Confession  of  Faith. 

All  proper  honor,  then,  to  the  great  theologians  and  their 
works,  to  the  councils  and  their  creeds.  We  will  use  their  help — 
an  immense  help — indispensable — to  look  into  God’s  Word. 
But  here  wTe  look.  Here  lies  our  doctrine.  One  is  our  Master, 
even  Christ.  With  a  great  sum  obtained  we  this  privilege, 
and  we  will  not  surrender  it,  no,  nqf  for  an  hour.  The  great 
Protestant  principle  has  been  maintained  in  too  many  assem¬ 
blies,  and  on  too  many  battle-fields,  in  too  many  dens  and 
caves  of  the  earth ;  it  has  cost  too  much  treasure  and  blood, 
to  be  surrendered  even  to  a  fellow-Protestant. 

But  with  privilege,  conies  responsibility.  Our  doctrinal, 

*  Dr.  Homer,  quoted  in  B.  B.  Edwards’  Works,  ii,  2Y3,  280  :  “  Eighty-nine 
ninetieths  of  the  New  Testament  ”  were  taken  from  previous  English  versions. 

11 


82 


like  our  ecclesiastical  freedom,  requires  a  liigli  standard  of 
character  and  attainment.  As  our  church  members,  to  govern 
themselves,  must  have  been  trained  to  self-reliance  and  dis¬ 
cretion,  so  must  their  ministers,  to  judge  wisely  for  themselves 
in  doctrine,  he  better  educated  than  a  ministry  in  leading- 
strings.  If  they  are  to  draw  their  theology  from  the  fountain, 
they  must  have  wherewith  to  draw.  They,  of  all  men,  must 
not  be  unskilful  in  the  word  of  righteousness.  Those  who 
are  to  go  forth  as  “  men  of  full  age,”  must  have  their  senses 
exercised  to  “  discern  ”  and  judge  for  themselves.  Since  their 
final  resort  is  back  to  the  W ord  of  God,  they  must  be  qualified 
to  go  to  that  very  word.  They  ought  to  hear  the  voice  of  the 
world  saying  to  them :  “  Thither  hast  thou  appealed,  thither 
shaft  thou  go.”  For  the  Protestant  Congregational  ministry, 
there  is  no  consistent  tarrying  place  this  side  of  the  original 
scriptures,  as  they  were  shaped  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  Ho  valid 
plea  can  be  entered  for  the  lack  of  that  knowledge.  Claiming 
to  act  independently,  they  must,  up  to  the  same  degree,  be 
trained  to  judge  independently.  So  trained,  and  governed 
by  the  power  of  true  piety,  they  may  be  safely  trusted.  God 
trusts  them.  A  body  of  men,  “  full  of  grace  and  of  knowl¬ 
edge,”  need  no  spiritual  oligarchy  nor  theological  jailer  to 
keep  them  safe.  God’s  Spirit  is  a  better  guide  than  human 
spirits.  We  have  seen  it,  of  late,  in  the  manly  and  harmonious, 
though  wholly  independent  stand,  upon  the  great  interests  of 
u  vital  godliness  and  sound  morality,”  taken  by  our  ministers 
and  churches,  all  pointing,  like  so  many  faithful  needles,  sepa¬ 
rately  to  the  pole ;  while  so  many  of  those  bodies  that  were 
governed  by  human  machineries,  though  good  men  worked 
the  engine,  have  suppressed  the  utterance  of  the  first  principles 
of  Christian  truth  and  common  morality.  God’s  Word  and 
Spirit  govern  his  ministers  and  churches  better  than  human 
vicegerents. 

Yet,  to  fulfill  this  condition,  while  the  minister’s  heart  is 
open  to  God’s  grace,  his  mind,  also,  must  be  open  to  the  freest 
entrance  of  God’s  word,  that  it  may  flow  in  and  lave  his  whole 
spirit.  Our  safety  lies  in  a  theology,  scriptural,  redolent  of 


83 


God’s  Word — the  honey  all  fresh  and  limpid  from  the  comb. 
Not  a  thin  literalism,  blinded  by  a  phrase  to  the  whole  scope 
of  an  argument;  nor  a  one-eyed  partizanship,  catching  at  pet 
texts  and  passages ;  nor  the  solemn  trifling  and  learned  igno¬ 
rance  that  will  put  a  parable  upon  all  fours,  or  cut  up  a  live 
idiom  and  store  away  the  fragments  for  doctrines ;  nor  the 
exegetical  legerdemain  that  converts  a  figure  into  logic,  or 
transmutes  it  to  a  nullity.  A  theology  deep  and  broad,  and 
embracing  the  whole  Bible  in  its  love ;  viewing  it  as,  in  its 
matter  and  its  method,  a  vast  scheme,  and  comparing  part 
with  part,  and  the  parts  with  the  whole ;  transporting  itself, 
so  far  as  possible,  to  the  place  of  a  living  witness,  feeling  the 
phraseology  with  the  delicate  perceptions  of  a  native  Greek  or 
Hebrew;  and  then  standing  on  the  height  of  two  thousand 
years  of  thinking,  to  survey  the  whole  landscape  of  heavenly 
doctrine  in  all  its  breadth  and  harmony.  O  brethren,  that 
volume  is  still  a  mighty  study.  Great  minds  have  labored 
over  it  in  the  ages  past  and  present,  but  they  have  not  studied 
it  all  out.  Its  vast  continents  still  invite  the  feet  of  the  ex¬ 
plorer.  Doubtless,  it  is  as  true  now  as  when  our  spiritual 
ancestor  said  it  to  the  Mayflower’s  company  :  “  The  Lord  hath 
more  light  and  truth  to  break  forth  out  of  his  holy  word.” 
Prophecies  remain  to  be  understood.  The  harmony  of  the 
word  and  the  works  still  asks  for  interpreters.  Doctrines  wait 
for  further  elucidation.  Great  principles  of  morality  clamor 
for  a  right  application.  The  very  methods  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
in  giving  the  sacred  volume,  ask  of  the  present  generation 
clearer  exhibition  and  defense. 

If  it  belongs  only  to  a  chosen  few  to  make  these  advances, 
it  belongs  to  the  many  teachers  to  catch  the  light  as  it  streams 
in.  They  ought  to  be  so  trained  as  to  stand  fast  in  the  chaos 
of  new  theories,  and  “  oppositions  of  science,  falsely  so  called.” 
They  should  be  so  firmly  anchored  in  the  real  meaning  of 
God’s  word,  as  not  to  be  moved  by  the  thousand  novelties  of 
interpretation  which  scheming  brains  would  force  upon  it ;  so 
familiar  with  the  capabilities  of  the  sacred  text,  as  never  to 
compromise  it,  either  by  accepting  a  false  offer  of  aid  from 


84 


science,  or  by  contending  with  settled  scientific  facts.  They 
ought  to  be  proof  against  all  seductive  fancies ;  so  that  when 
some  man  comes  with  his  baseless  theory  of  “Yahveh  Christ,” 
saying,  “  Lo,  he  is  here,  or,  lo,  he  is  there,”  they  go  not  after 
him ;  so  that  they  be  never  deluded  by  mocking  computations 
of  his  second  coming ;  nor  ensnared  with  any  of  the  absurd 
literalisms  and  wild  vagaries  with  which  the  obscurest  pro¬ 
phecies  have  been  piled,  mountain  high. 

.Negative  theological  results  are  not  the  chief  end  of  such  a 
training.  We  wish  our  young  men  to  come  and  pour  their 
theology  more  fresh  out  of  God’s  Word  into  their  preaching. 
A  scriptural  theology  for  the  congregations — that  is  the  great 
demand.  A  theology  alive,  vigorous,  concrete,  salient,  bold. 
Ao  doubt  it  is  indispensable  that  a  minister  should  study  doc¬ 
trine  as  a  science,  abstrusely,  and  even  metaphysically.  In  no 
other  way  can  he  apprehend  it  rightly,  as  a  whole,  and  discern 
the  relations  of  its  parts.  But  in  his  customary  presentations, 
the  more  thoroughly  imbued  with  the  spirit  and  the  funda¬ 
mental  method  of  the  sacred  volume,  the  wiser  and  the  safer. 
I  mean  this — the  preacher  is  never  to  forget  that  the  ultimate 
aim  of  preaching  is  not  intellectual,  for  completeness  of  science, 
but  spiritual,  for  growth  in  grace — that  the  preacher  is  vastly 
more  than  a  lecturer,  and  a  sermon  than  an  essay.  And  he 
will  wholly  miss  one  wholesome  influence  of  familiarity  with 
the  idioms  of  God's  word,  if  he  do  not  learn,  in  his  pulpit 
presentations  of  the  great  doctrines,  to  make  the  practical  use 
ever  foremost,  wholly  predominating  over  the  technical  form 
and  scientific  end,  and,  with  unfettered  freedom  of  expression, 
to  S])eak  right  out,  as  a  man  to  men.  We  learn  theology 
abstractly,  to  render  it  back  concretely — as  lively  truth  to 
living  souls.  We  master  our  might v  instrument  and  its  laws 
of  sound,  not  to  exhibit  its  varied  stops,  much  less  to  play  its 
chromatic  scale,  but  to  pour  rich  harmony  into  the  discordant 
heart.  When  the  preacher  binds  himself  to  the  manner  of  a 
school,  or  the  technicalities  and  phraseologies  of  a  human 
theorist,  Tyler  or  Taylor,  or  whoever  else,  we  are  constrained 
to  feel:  “Jesus  I  know,  and  Paul  I  know,  but  who  are  ye?” 


85 


But  wlien  he  leaves  behind  him  at  the  church  door  the  narrow 
technics  of  the  schools,  and  methods  of  the  mere  man  of 
science,  and  brings  those  great  doctrines,  as  God’s  own  engine¬ 
ry  of  power,  to  bear  upon  the  heart  and  conscience,  with 
the  untrammeled  freedom  of  God’s  word ;  whether  he  preach 
from  the  text,  “No  man  can  come  to  me,  except  the  Father 
which  hath  sent  me,  draw  him,”  or,  u  Ye  will  not  come  unto 
me,  that  ye  might  have  life  ”  ;  whether  it  be,  “  Make  to  your¬ 
selves  a  new  heart,”  or,  “  I  will  give  you  a  new  heart  ” ;  there 
is  no  fear.  God  is  the  voucher.  Reason  and  conscience 
answer.  The  sinner  is  pricked  in  the  heart.  The  saint  is 
edified.  The  truth  is  safe.  Christ  is  honored.  The  man,  I 
repeat  it,  who  is  most  completely  penetrated  with  the  atmos¬ 
phere  of  God’s  word,  and  who  uses  the  truth  in  the  same 
spirit,  to  make  the  same  impressions  with  it — he  is  the  safe 
preacher,  he  is  the  wise  preacher.  Aot  seldom  does  the 
doctrinal  preacher  dissect,  and  dry  up,  and  wire  together  the 
living  truths  of  God’s  word,  in  such  wise  that  they  have 
nothing  to  do  with  a  congregation  of  living  men.  They  belong 
in  a  theological  cabinet.  But  so  was  it  not  with  the  great 
theologians,  who  were  also  the  great  preachers.  The  preach¬ 
ing  of  Luther  was  as  free  and  various  as  the  warblings  of  a 
thrush.  Calvin  fused  the  massive  ingots  of  his  doctrine,  and 
poured  them  forth  as  a  glowing  stream.  And  Edwards — the 
rock-strata  of  theology  that  lay  in  his  capacious  mind,  seemed 
to  be  all  molten  by  some  Vesuvius  fire,  and  bursting  all  bonds, 
to  come  rolling  down  the  mountain  sides  in  awful  majesty  on 
the  slumbering  scene  below.  It  was  the  method  of  God’s  word. 

Systematic  theology  itself  is  dependent  upon  biblical  criticism 
for  its  materials.  It  was  with  critical  biblical  learning  that 
theology,  as  a  science,  began,  suspended,  and  resumed  its 
advances.  The  chief  lack  in  the  consolidating  theology  of  the 
first  four  centuries,  was  the  want  of  sound  and  fixed  principles 
of  interpretation.  Athanasius  and  Augustine,  who  did  most 
for  its  permanent  form,  stand  out  ecpially  conspicuous  for  their 
theory  of  exposition.  It  was  the  chief  misfortune  of  Augustine, 
with  his  Herculean  powers  and  labors,  that  he  lacked  the 


86 


learning,  if  not  the  disposition,  to  carry  out  liis  own  admirable 
principles.  And  a  more  striking  instance  could  not  be  asked, 
of  false  theology  resting  hrpon  unsound  interpretation,  than 
Augustine’s  famous  theory  of  the  actual  presence  and  partici¬ 
pation  of  the  whole  race  in  Adam’s  sin,  resting  chiefly  upon  a 
mistranslation  in  the  Latin  Vulgate.* * * §  In  later  times,  the 
period  of  greatest  barrenness  in  theology  was  that  of  greatest 
dearth  of  biblical  learning.  In  the  thirteenth  century,  when  the 
“  school  divinity  ”  was  most  intense  and  most  jejune;  when 
men  honored  with  the  titles  of  “  sublime,  profound,  wonderful, 
seraphic  and  angelic  doctors,”  were  spending  their  marvellous 
acuteness  to  the  least  practical  purpose,  then  it  was  that,  ac¬ 
cording  to  the  testimony  of  Roger  Bacon,  there  were  not 
more  than  three  or  four  persons,  among  the  AY estern  scholars, 
who  had  any  knowledge  of  the  oriental  tongues.f  That 
remarkable  man  zealously  urged,  even  on  the  laity,  the  study 
of  the  Bible  in  the  original  languages ;  ^  and  he  thus  sternly 
described  the  busy  folly  of  his  time :  “  Never  wras  there  so 
great  appearance  of  wisdom,  and  so  great  ardor  in  study ;  and 
yet  never  so  great  ignorance,  so  great  error.  The  race  of 
students  doze  and  asinize  [asininat]  over  bad  translations,  [of 
Aristotle,]  and  altogether  waste  their  time,  and  study,  and 
expense.”  §  But  so  thorough  became  the  departure,  in  many 
quarters,  from  the  true  source  of  theology,  that  there  was  a 
current  proverb,  u  Beware  of  Greek,  lest  you  turn  heretic; 
shun  the  Hebrew,  lest  you  become  like  the  Jews.”  A  bishop 
of  St.  Asaph  denounced  Erasmus  as  “  Graculus  iste  ” — that 
shabby  Grecian — and  the  phrase  became  a  name  for  “  heretic. ”*[ 
It  was  sometimes  put  by  the  monks,  that  “  there  was  now  a 
new  language  started  up,  called  Greek,  of  which  people  should 
beware,  since  it  was  that  which  produced  all  the  heresies  ;  that 
in  this  language  was  come  forth  a  book,  called  the  New  Testa- 

*Rom.  5  :  12,  where  i<p'  &  TravTts  ri^apTou ,  “  for  that  all  have  sinned,”  is  trans¬ 
lated  in  quo  omnes  peccaverunt,  in  whom  all  have  sinned.  For  Augustine’s 
principles  of  Exposition,  see  Davidson’s  Sacred  Hermeneutics,  p.  139,  140. 

f  Townley’s  Bibl.  Literature,  i.,  3*73.  The  statement  of  Bacon  is  too  strong. 

t  Neander’s  Church  Hist.,  iv.,  425. 

§  Gieseler’s  Ch.  Hist.,  ii.,  325.  Townley’s  Bib.  Lit.,  i.,  588. 


* 


87 


ment,  which  was  now  in  every  body’s  hands,  and  was  full  of 
thorns  and  briers;  that  there  was  another  language  started 
up,  which  they  called  the  Hebrew,  and  those  who  learned  it 
were  termed  Hebrews.”  * 

But,  meanwhile,  the  light  of  the  nations  was  rekindling 
from  this  source.  Lyra’s  Commentary  on  the  Old  Testament, 
founded  on  the  personal  study  of  the  original  text,  and  breath¬ 
ing  the  true  liistorico-grammatical  system  of  interpretation, 
is  one  of  the  great  waymarks  toward  the  Reformation.  Says 
the  proverb,  u  Lyra’s  lyre  awakened  Luther’s  dance.”  The 
true  exponents  of  those  influences  with  which  the  Reformation 
started  and  rolled  on,  are  found  in  Reuchlin’s  Hebrew  Lexicon 
and  Grammar,  and  Erasmus’  Greek  Testament,  its  immediate 
forerunners.  The  foremost  agents  in  that  great  work  well  saw 
the  bearing  of  those  studies.  Reuchlin  said  to  the  Emperor 
Maximilian,  “  The  best  way  to  convert  the  Jews  would  be  to 
establish  in  each  university  two  masters  of  the  Hebrew  lan¬ 
guage,  who  should  teach  divines  to  read  the  Bible  in  Hebrew, 
and  thus  refute  the  Jewish  doctors.”  Erasmus  wrote:  “The 
highest  use  of  the  revival  of  philosophy,  will  be  to  discover  in 
the  Bible  the  simple  and  pure  Christianity.”  f  Luther  applied 
himself  zealously  to  the  study  of  the  sacred  tongues,  even 
taking  Hebrew  lessons  at  Rome,  of  a  celebrated  Rabbin.  “  My 
knowledge  of  the  Hebrew  language,”  he  modestly  said,  “  is 
but  limited,  yet  I  would  not  barter  it  for  all  the  treasures  of 
the  world.”  It  was  a  maxim  of  Melancthon  that  deserves 
perpetual  remembrance :  “  The  scripture  can  not  be  understood 
theologically,  unless  it  has  been  understood  grammatically.”^ 
Calvin  was  a  profound  biblical  scholar,  as  well  as  theologian. 
One  of  his  early  public  labors  was  to  lecture  on  the  epistles  of 
Paul.  His  Commentaries,  though  susceptible  of  improvement 
in  minuter  criticism,  are  even  now  surpassed  by  few  for  perfect 
fairness  of  aim,  and  clear  grasp  of  the  whole  train  of  thought. 
And,  notwithstanding  the  profound  impression  made  by  his 
Institutes,  it  has  been  well  affirmed,  that  the  highest  aid  he 


* 


*  B.  B.  Edward’s  Works,  ii :  251.  f  Merle  D’Aubigne’s  Hist.  Ref.  i :  98. 
t  Fairbarn’s  Hermeneutical  Manual,  p.  1. 


88 


brought  to  the  Reformation  was  the  exegetical  element,  with 
which  he  moulded  it  to  sound  interpretations  of  the  scripture.* 
It  was  by  such  principles  that  the  Reformation  attained  to 
doctrinal  results,  which,  in  the  main,  will  never  be  displaced. 

A  century  later,  the  triumph  of  Puritanism  in  England  was 
contemporaneous  with  the  highest  rise  of  biblical  literature 
ever  attained  in  that  country  ;  for  which  the  names  of  Usher, 
Castell,  Pocock,  Lightfoot,  Walton,  are  the  vouchers. 

The  zeal  for  these  studies  attended  our  fathers  across  the 
Atlantic.  The  Congregational  ministry  of  this  country  are,  in 
this  respect,  children  of  a  noble  ancestry.  Our  forefathers 
were  scholarly  men.  Most  of  the  early  ministry,  who  came 
to  Hew  England,  had  been  educated  in  the  great  Universities 
of  England ;  f  and  some  of  them  were  among  their  choicer 
spirits.  As  became  the  men  who  pre-eminently  stood  for  the 
fundamental  principles  of  Protestantism,  they  gave  special 
attention  to  the  studies  which  enabled  every  preacher  for 
himself  to  unlock  the  oracles  of  God.  The  well-used  Greek 
and  Hebrew  Bible,  that  once  belonged  to  Shepard  of  Cam¬ 
bridge,  is  still  extant.  John  Cotton  was  an  accomplished 
critic  of  the  Greek,  and  able  to  converse  in  Hebrew.  With 
Whiting  of  Lynn,  the  study  of  Hebrew  was  a  passion. 
Thatcher,  of  the  Old  South  Church,  composed  a  Hebrew 
Lexicon.  Dunster  and  Cliauncey,  the  first  two  presidents  of 
Harvard  College,  were  renowned  oriental  scholars.  And  the 
early  law  of  the  college  was,  that  “  every  schollar  that  on  proof 
is  found  able  to  render  the  Originals  of  the  Old  and  Hew 
Testaments  into  the  Latin  tongue,  and  to  resolve  them  logically, 
withall  being  of  godly  life  and  conversation,  and  at  any  public 
act  hath  the  approbation  of  the  overseers  and  masters  of  the 
Colledge,  is  tit  to  be  dignified  with  his  first  degree.”  ^ 

Such  was  the  zeal  of  the  fathers.  And  though  the  zeal 
abated  in  after  generations,  ours  is  the  honor  of  having  fur¬ 
nished  the  man  who  was  the  founder  of  modern  biblical  litera¬ 
ture  in  this  country,  and  whose  u  yocation  it  was  to  call  back  the 

*  Henry’s  Life  of  Calvin,  ii:  31.  f  Young's  Chron.  Mass.  Bay  Colony,  p.  357. 
j  Elliott’s  New  Eng.  Ilist.,  i:  424. 


89 


Bible,  the  genuine,  original  Bible,  into  the  theology  of  the 
Anglo-Saxon  nations.  This  great  work  he  did — nobly  and 
effectually  he  accomplished  it.”  *  Honored  be  the  name  of 
Stuart — the  impetuous,  and  often  the  inconsiderate,  and  inac¬ 
curate,  yet  ever  the  indefatigable,  irrepressible  student  of 
God’s  word ;  elastic  and  self-reliant,  restless  in  mind  and  body 
with  the  exuberance  of  life,  ever  gathering  to  pour  forth,  and 
never  too  wise  to  learn ;  the  fearless,  unfettered,  honest, 
whole-souled  Stuart  —  the  man  who  made  the  department  and 
its  materials  of  study,  for  the  country,  and  left  his  mark  upon 
a  whole  generation ! 

Honored  names  have  since  been  written  on  the  same  page 
of  study.  Be  it  ours  to  push  on  in  the  same  path,  and  cling 
still  closer  to  the  pure  word  of  God.  AVe  live  in  an  atmos¬ 
phere  of  higher  scholarship,  but  a  region,  too,  of  storm. 
Around  us  rages  the  tierce  conflict  of  a  dead  ritualism,  now 
more  formal  than  ever;  a  growing  traditionalism,  inclining  to 
substitute  the  words  of  the  fathers  for  those  of  the  fathers’ 
God  ;  countless  wild  vagaries  of  human  invention,  and  schemes 
of  rationalism,  striving  now  to  force  themselves  upon  the 
Scripture,  and  now  to  sweep  the  Scripture  altogether  by.  In 
the  midst  of  all  these  blasts,  it  behoves  us  more  than  ever  to 
have  our  moorings  deep  and  fast  in  the  word  of  God.  A  pure 
biblical  theology — is  the  phrase  a  mockery  and  the  thing  a 
dream  1  Or  does  it  designate  the  great  rock  of  eternal  truth, 
on  which  every  preacher  of  the  gospel  may  and  must  firmly 
and  intelligently  plant  his  feet  ?  And  such  a  theology  must 
stand  upon  the  critical  knowledge  of  God’s  AV ord.  Theology 
as  the  science  of  the  Christian  religion !  Does  it  rest  upon 
the  profound  and  accurate  study  of  the  sacred  text  ?  Then  it 
is  the  surest,  and  noblest  of  all  sciences.  Does  it  not  ?  An 
idle  fancy  of  the  human  brain. 

In  the  fifth  place,  the  preacher  of  the  gospel  ought  to  be  ur¬ 
gently  persuaded  to  these  studies,  by  a  sense  of  his  necessities 
as  a  defender  of  the  Christian  Faith. 

Such  is  his  actual  position.  AVhile  the  work  of  original  in- 


12 


*  Prof.  Stowe,  in  Sprague’s  Annals. 


90 


vestigation  and  public  discussion  belongs  to  a  few,  the  ministry, 
as  a  class,  are  constantly  called  upon  to  use  their  results. 
Every  pastor  is,  in  his  little  circle,  a  defender  of  the  faith. 
The  eye  turns  at  once  to  him.  He  has  the  opportunity  and 
the  motive ;  in  these  days  he  will  hardly  fail  of  the  necessity. 
The  confidence  of  parishioners  rests  on  him.  An  important 
part  of  his  influence  will  hinge  on  his  ability  in  this  respect ; 
and  that  ability  largely  depends  upon  the  studies  I  am  vindi¬ 
cating.  A  quarter  of  a  century  ago,  a  village  preacher,  since 
then  a  Doctor  of  Divinity,  stood,  one  Sabbath  by  the  water 
side,  and  “  pledged  his  reputation  as  a  scholar,  that  ft  (unity  in 
the  Hew  Testament,  means  to  immerse A  The  speech  was 
heard  by  two  young  boys,  who  had  been,  for  a  time,  under  his 
instruction ;  but  as  they  had  seen  him  effectually  puzzled  over 
sentences  of  ordinary  Greek,  there  was  nothing  in  his  “  repu¬ 
tation  as  a  scholar  "  to  hinder  them  both  from  becoming  Pedo- 
baptist  ministers.  A  better  repute  with  them  for  skill  in  the 
languages  of  the  Bible,  might  have  turned  the  scale ;  for  there 
is  weight  in  early  influence. 

More  important  matters  than  a  man's  standing  are  at  stake. 
His  safety  in  argument  is  concerned — his  exemption  from  un¬ 
sound  positions,  and  erroneous  citations  and  his  ability  to  cope 
with  the  false  glosses  of  other  men.  There  has  sometimes 
been  exhibited  a  carelessness  in  the  selection  of  proof-texts,  that 
redounded  against  the  right  cause,  and  which  now,  more  than 
ever?  it  will  not  answer  to  repeat.  An  actual  sifting,  too,  lias 
taken  place,  which  has  made  many  proof-passages  more  im¬ 
pregnable  than  ever,  and  laid  some  others  by.  It  would  be 
inexcusable  in  a  modern  theologian,  to  rest  his  arguments  in¬ 
discriminately  on  all  the  texts  employed  by  Calvin  in  the 
Institutes.  In  the  earlier  Unitarian  controversy,  some  pas¬ 
sages  were  cited,  with  which  a  wise  scholar  now  would  prefer 
not  to  complicate  the  strength  of  the  Trinitarian  cause.  There 
are  occasional  references  in  the  current  Scripture  Manuals, 
which  it  is  not  safe  to  trust.*  There  are  arguments  in  such 

*  E.  g.,  in  Simmons’  Scripture  Manual,  Prov.  21 :  4,  “  the  ploughing  of  the 
wicked  is  sin,”  is  cited  to  prove  total  depravity.  But  if  in  point,  not  in  that 


91 


treatises  as  Gaussen  on  the  Bible,  which  a  man  would  do  well 
to  ponder  before  he  ventures  in  that  form  to  use.* * * * §  There  are 
interpretations  even,  in  such  Expositors  as  Barnes,  that  are  not 
founded  on  the  usages  of  language.")*  Gesenius  gives  occa¬ 
sional  explanation^  that  are  destitute  of  philological  founda¬ 
tion.;): 

But  is  it  said,  the  common  student  can  not  be  qualified  to 
cope  with  the  errors  of  such  men  ?  True,  he  can  not  originate, 
but  he  can  appropriate  the  sound  view.  The  higher  scholar¬ 
ship  of  the  few,  must  rest  on  the  platform  of  a  general  scholar¬ 
ship  in  the  many ;  and  the  many  may  appreciate  and  lay  hold 
of' the  labors  of  the  few.  He  who  is  no  champion  may  judge 
between  the  combatants ;  he  can  honor  the  victor,  and  share 
the  spoils.  § 

It  is  vain  to  think  of  leaving  all  these  subjects  to  a  few 
learned  men.  Tliev  meet  and  follow  us  every  where.  In 
little  parishes,  not  strong  enough  to  support  the  ordinances 
without  foreign  aid,  will  be  found  advocates  of  error,  appealing 
to  the  original  tongues.  Even  Universalism,  that  so  long 
darkly  talked  of  aBr]<;  and  alcovios,  has  founded  a  college  and 
gone  to  school.  ITnitarianism  began  its  open  warfare  upon 
the  field  of  interpretation;  and  though  driven  off  into  the 
wilderness  of  rationalism,  occasionally  returns  to  shoot  a  bolt 
from  the  scriptures.  German  skepticism  undertakes  to  break 
down  the  authenticity  of  the  Pentateuch  by  nice  observations 
on  the  style  of  Genesis,  and  on  the  use  of  the  terms  Fni"?  and 
;  and  its  exploded  notions  have  found  a  recent,  and,  no 


form.  The  Hebrew  Lexicon,  the  Septuagint,  tlie  marginal  reading,  the  opinions 
of  such  scholars  as  Stuart  and  De  Wette,  give  a  different  rendering. 

*  See  Gaussen’-  Theopneusty,  pp.  189-199.  f  E.  g.  rj  kt'utis,  in  Rom.  viii. :  19-22. 

\  E.  g.  His  construction  of  KSr  in  Ps.  xlv :  7,  under  the  word  t'n'Vs  in  his 
Lexicon  ;  and  his  interpretation  of  “in'  “qy  (Is.  53d)  in  his  Commentary  and 

Lexicon. 

§  Adam  Clarke  and  some  others,  endeavor  to  avoid  a  difficulty  of  exposition 
by  translating  the  last  clause  of  Gen.  i. ,  16,  “with  the  stars,”  instead  of  “he 
made  the  stars  also.”  But  a  very  slight  knowledge  of  the  Hebrew,  in  its  connex¬ 
ion,  shows  it  to  be  a  forced  construction.  A  hundred  similar  devices,  which  may 
be  made  plausible  to  the  English  scholar,  vanish  at  sight  of  the  original. 


92 


doubt,  an  unsuspecting  advocate,  in  America.  Arminianism 
has  founded  schools  of  theology,  and  explores  the  original 
scriptures.  Almost  everv  form  of  error  occasionally  carries 
its  appeal  thither ;  and  yet  many  of  their  most  plausible  argu¬ 
ments  rest  upon  the  words  of  our  translation,  and  disappear 
the  moment  we  look  behind  it.  The  passage,  (John  xvi,  23,) 
“And  in  that  day  ye  shall  ask  me  nothing — whatsoeyer  ye 
shall  ask  the  Father  in  my  name,  he  will  give  it  you,”  has 
often  been  quoted  as  a  prohibition  of  prayer  to  the  Savior. 
But  the  appeal  is  null  and  void  to  one  who  knows  the  simple 
difference  between  the  two  Greek  words,  “  ask,”  that  occur  in 

4 

the  passage ;  and  that  the  first  of  them  only  declares,  “  I  e 
shall  ask  me  no  questions.”  The  popular  catch-phrase,  in  one 
whole  denomination,  is  a  play  upon  the  words,  “Ye  are  fallen 
from  grace.”  The  Douay  version  of  tire  Bomish  church  is 
made  safe  for  common  use,  partly  by  such  slight  mistransla¬ 
tions  as,  “  Do  penance,”  for  “  Bepent.” 

These  things  continuallv  force  us  back  to  our  authorities. 
From  the  time  when,  in  the  dining  hall  of  Sir  John  ITalsh, 
Tyndal,  with  his  perpetual  Greek  Testament  in  hand,  discom¬ 
fited  the  “  abbots,  monks,  deans  and  doctors,”  to  the  time 
when  Stuart  poured  in  his  broadsides  of  exegesis  into  the  gay 
sails  and  painted  hull  of  Unitarianism,  and  onward,  similar 
exigencies  have  arisen,  and  must  arise.  And  though  we  are 
not  all  Tyndals,  and  Stuarts,  every  minister  of  the  gospel  is 
liable  to  see  times  when  he  would  rejoice  to  wear  their  man¬ 
tle.  It  is  the  privilege,  often  the  necessity,  of  each  minister  of 
the  gospel,  to  wield,  in  his  humbler  sphere,  the  weapons  which 
the  great  armorers  have  furnished  and  burnished  to  his  hands. 
It  can  be  done;  but  his  own  faculties  must  be  trained  to  the 
work.  His  own  eye  must  see  where  he  plants  his  foot,  and 
where  he  deals  his  stroke.  In  the  chaos  of  conflicting  opin¬ 
ions,  there  is  n6  need  that  even  the  humble  scholar  be  all  in 
doubt  and  danger.  The  sure  way  to  prevent  it,  is  to  go,  and, 
with  his  own  unmuffled  hand,  to  lay  hold  of  the  sword  of  the 
Spirit. 

It  is  indeed  the  singular  provision  of  the  Divine  wisdom, 


93 


that  the  Holy  Scriptures  yield  to  the  rapid  glance  and  to  the 
deep  critical  exploration,  substantially  the  same  great  results. 
Skepticism  and  false  science  have  long  endeavored  to  set  the 
two  at  variance,  but  God  has  at  length  overthrown  the  attempt, 
even  from  the  land  of  its  birth.  Hengstenburg,  and  Olshau- 
sen,  and  Tholuck,  and  Keil,  and  Auberlen,  have  come  up  from 
the  home  of  Micliaelis,  and  Ilitzig,  and  Fritzsche.  Learned 
and  impenitent  scholars  have  risen  up  to  justify  the  obvious 
sense  taken  by  unlearned  Christians.  Kueckert  and  DeWette, 
too  careless  of  inspired  authority,  yet  read  in  Paul  the  same 
doctrines  of  grace  which  Edwards  and  Calvin  found.  The 
deniers  of  eternal  punishment,  like  the  harvest  of  dragons’ 
teeth,  help  destroy  each  other,  with  their  several  schemes  of 
immediate  happiness,  of  punishment  and  restoration,  and  of 
utter  annihilation,  for  the  dying  wicked;  and  infidel  Parker 
stands  outside,  to  declare  them  all  in  conflict  with  the  plain 
words  of  Christ.  While  it  is  allowable  for  the  common  Chris¬ 
tian  to  remain  content  with  the  obvious  meaning  of  the  sacred 
text,  thus  abundantly  sustained,  as  well  as  justified  by  his 
own  spiritual  experience,  the  religious  teacher  should  be 
able,  on  critical  principles,  to  vindicate  that  interpretation, 
and  to  repel  the  enemy  with  the  very  weapons  to  which  he 
appeals. 

Hor  may  the  preacher  delude  himself  with  the  thought  that 
these  controversies  all  lie  back  in  the  past,  or  up  in  the  regions 
of  speculation  alone.  There  are  grave  questions  of  interpre¬ 
tation  to  meet  the  coming  generation.  The  doctrine  of  Inspi¬ 
ration  is  to  be  further  elucidated.  Sabellianism,  perhaps,  is  to 
revive  and  do  battle.  The  full  connexion  of  the  Old  Testa¬ 
ment  and  the  Hew,  the  Scripture  doctrine  of  tj^pes,  the  subject 
of  typical  predictions,  the  Hew  Testament  method  of  quota¬ 
tion,  the  true  meaning  of  iva  Tfkripccfef),  are  to  be  reconsidered. 
The  historic  accuracy  and  complete  consistency  of  the  sacred 
record,  are  vet  further  to  be  vindicated.  The  annihilation  the- 
ory  may  be  further  heard  from.  The  question  of  the  time  and 
circumstances  of  Christ's  second  coming,  if  possible,  is  to  be 
put  at  rest.  Theories  of  church  government  will  not  slumber 


94 


always.  Grave  discussions  are  opened  and  not  yet  adjusted, 
concerning  the  English  version  of  the  Bible. 

Many  of  these  questions  come  and  meet  us  in  the  routine  of 
practical  life.  Southern  Doctors  of  Divinity  are  boldly  affirm¬ 
ing  the  scriptural  sanction  of  American  slavery.  Northern 
Doctors  are  discovering  the  first  great  commandment  of  the 
gospel  to  be.  “  Thou  slialt  love  a  grand  Association  with  all 
thy  heart ;”  and  the  second  like  unto  it,  “  Thou  shalt  love  a 
rotten  quiet  better  than  a  righteous  discussion.”  The  spread¬ 
ing  cultivation  of  the  vine  may  force  the  wine  question  again 
upon  the  churches.  Five  months  ago  witnessed  a  great  assem¬ 
bly  of  ministers  and  delegates  from  all  the  Northern  portions 
of  the  land,  sitting  day  after  day,  in  this  city,  upon  a  grave 
question  of  interpretation — the  scripture  law  of  divorce ;  and 
deciding  that  question  at  length,  against  a  minority  of  one- 
third — that  minority  including  a  very  large  proportion  of  its 
intellectual  strength.  The  question  was  argued  then,  on  both 
sides,  upon  principles  which  rose  above  the  dictum  of  the  Book 
of  Discipline,  and  appealed  directly  to  the  AY ord  of  God.  And 
between  those  parties  lies  the  question  now,  whether  the  As¬ 
sembly  performed  an  act  of  high  “  moral  courage,”*  or  did  an 
egregious  wrong  to  a  Christian  minister  and  his  wife.  So  im- 
portant  may  become  a  question  of  interpretation. 

Similar  are  the  emergencies,  greater  or  less,  which  call  on 
every  minister  of  the  gospel  to  be  “  mighty  in  the  Scriptures.” 
AY e  live  in  times  when,  for  the  truth’s  sake,  the  ministry  are 
called  upon  to  be  profoundly  skilled  in  the  interpretation  of 
their  own  statute  book ;  and  to  fail  therein,  is  to  expose  relig¬ 
ion  to  immense  reproach,  and  themselves  to  the  scorn  of  the 
adversary. 

But  why  do  I  seek  arguments  to  persuade  studious  and 
pious  men — masters  in  Israel,  yea,  “  ministers  of  The  AY  ord” — 
to  the  thorough  mastery  of  the  sacred  text  ?  Thoughts  like 
these  it  may  be  needful  to  lav  before  the  men  of  other  callings 

*j  «/  * 

for  their  enlightenment,  but  it  should  be  needless  to  urge  them 

*  Presbyterian  Quarterly  for  July,  1858,  p.  107. 


i 


on  those  who  intelligently  and  reverently  have  pondered  and 
sought  the  work  of  a  preacher  of  the  gospel.  For  we  do  not 
plead  merely  for  the  wonderful  composition  that  preceded  the 
infancy  of  all  literature,  overtops  its  maturity,  has  mingled  in 
its  noblest  growth,  and  now,  surrounded  by  its  own  Banyan  off¬ 
spring,  inevitably  marks  and  shapes  its  forest  range  to  the  end 
of  time;  nor  for  the  old  imperishable  record,  whose  history 
and  prophecy  overarch  the  world’s  whole  past  and  future,  and 
whose  doctrine  and  spirit  underlie  all  lasting  elevation  of  the 
race,  warming  into  life  industry,  and  art,  and  science,  and  lib¬ 
erty,  and  philanthropy,  melting  down  the  hardened  wrongs  of 
venerable  lands,  and  radiating  civilization  into  the  polar-circles 
of  humanity ;  nor  for  the  benign  and  genial  volume  that  hal¬ 
lows  the  domestic  hearth,  and  shoots  its  golden,  blessed  beams 
through  all  the  atmosphere  of  social  life;  nor  the  mighty  word 
that  heaves  old  monarchies  and  young  republics,  defying  the 
shock  of  armies  and  the  charge  of  wit ;  nor  the  great  central 
writing  fast  passing  from  dead  languages  into  all  the  living 
tongues  of  earth,  and,  like  the  cross  of  the  Master,  drawing 
the  gaze  of  the  nations  in  friendship  or  in  enmity,  as  it  every 
where  lifts  up  its  high  command  or  its  bold  reproof.  Xot  for 
this  do  we  plead;  but  for  the  Word,  the  very  words  of  God  to 
lost  souls,  concerning  their  immortal  destiny — the  only  words 
of  heavenly  hope  that  ever  broke  on  the  ear  of  ruined  man. 

O  brethren,  what  a  book  is  that,  of  which  you  have  called 
me  to  teach  the  interpretation.  He  that  should  have  mastered 
that  volume,  would  stand  on  a  basis  of  certainty  from  which 
no  assault  could  dislodge  him,  would  see  a  clear  path  through 
every  human  relation,  and  would  look  deep  into  the  govern¬ 
ment  of  God.  As  the  thought  ranges  backward  through  the 
ranks  of  holy  men  who  have  toiled  over  its  pages  to  unfold  it 
to  their  fellows,  wliat  a  host  of  the  great  and  good  rise  into 
view — men  of  clear  massive  intellect,  men  of  bright  genius, 
men  of  exhaustless  learning,  men  of  heavenly  spirit.  They  have 
toiled  over  it — some  of  them  till  the  body  was  bent  double  in 
the  study — some  till  the  outer  eye  grew  dim  with  excess  of  in¬ 
ward  light — some  till  the  brain  yielded  to  its  load — some  till 


96 


the  light  went  clown  serenely  behind  the  everlasting  hills.  But 
they  have  left  the  work  unfinished.  Yea,  there  are  things 
there  which  the  angels  desire  to  look  into.  He  that  follows 
such  a  train,  may  well  adopt  the  sentiment  of  one  of  the 
brightest  minds  that  ever  busied  itself  alike  upon  the  Works 
and  the  Word  of  God,  and  who  seemed  to  himself  at  last  as 
“  the  child  playing  on  the  sea-shore,  while  the  immense  ocean 
of  truth  lay  unexplored  before  him.” 

With  such  sentiments  let  me  enter  on  this  work.  Though 
still  retaining  my  pastoral  relation  to  a  beloved  church,  the 
Providence  of  God  has  seemed  plainly  to  call  me  to  the  work 
of  aiding  in  the  infancy  of  this  important  Seminary,  retaining 
my  double  relation  only  till  the  same  Providence  shall  clearly 
indicate  my  release  from  one  portion  or  the  other  of  those 
labors.  May  God  give  me  wisdom  to  see  my  way  clear. 


97 


OFFICERS  OF  THE  SEMINARY. 


BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS. 


REV.  H.  D.  KITCHEL,  D.D., . 

“  L.  SMITH  HOBART, . . 

S.  L.  WITHEY,  Esq., . 

J.  E.  BEEBE,  Esq., . . 

REV.  F.  BASCOM, . 

“  W.  W.  PATTON, . 

“  J.  E.  ROY, . 

“  A.  S.  KEDZIE, . 

C.  G.  HAMMOND,  Esq., . 

PHILO  CARPENTER,  Esq., . 

HORATIO  HITCHCOCK,  M.D., . 

REV.  G.  S.  F.  SAVAGE, . 

“  W.  CARTER, . 

“  H.  FOOTE, . 

“  N.  H.  EGGLESTON . 

“  C.  W.  CAMP, . 

“  W.  L.  MATHER, . 

HON.  E.  D.  HOLTON, . 

REV.  J.  C.  HOLBROOK, . 

“  A.  B.  ROBBINS, . 

J.  G.  FOOTE,  Esq., . 

REV.  M.  A.  JEWETT, . 

“  RICHARD  HALL, . 

“  T.  M.  POST,  D.D., . 


.  .Detroit,  Mich. 

.  .Hudson,  “ 

.  .Grand  Rapids,  Mich. 

. .Jackson,  “ 

.  .Dover,  Ill. 

..Chicago,  Ill. 

44  44 

u  a 

4  4  44 

4  4  44 

4  4  4  4 

.  .St.  Charles,  Ill. 
..Pittsfield,  “ 

.  .Janesville,  Wis. 
'..Madison,  “ 

. .Sheboygan,  “ 

.  .Fond  du  Lac,  “ 

.  .Milwaukie,  “ 

.  .Dubuque,  Iowa. 
..Muscatine,  “ 

.  .Burlington,  “ 

.  .Terre  Haute,  Indiana. 

.  .Pt.  Douglass,  Minnesota. 
.  .St.  Louis,  Missouri. 


EXECUTIVE  COMMITTEE. 


C.  G.  HAMMOND,  Esq.  REV.  J.  E.  ROY. 

PHILO  CARPENTER,  Esq.  “  G.  S.  F.  SAVAGE. 

REV.  W.  W.  PATTON.  “  N.  H.  EGGLESTON. 

HORATIO  HITCHCOCK,  M.D. 


98 


SECRETARY. 

REV.  N.  H.  EGGLESTON,  Madison,  Wisconsin. 


TREASURER. 

L.  D.  OLMSTED,  Esq.,  Chicago,  Illinois. 


GENERAL  AGENT. 
REV.  A.  S.  KEDZIE,  Chicago,  Illinois. 


BOARD  OF  VISITORS. 


REV.  ASA  TURNER,  Jr.,  Iowa. 
“  N.  C.  CLARK,  Illinois. 

“  R.  M.  PEARSON,  “ 

A.  COMSTOCK,  Esq, 


REV.  Z.  M.  HUMPHREY,  Wisconsin. 
PROF.  J.  EMERSON, 

REV.  P.  R.  HURD,  Michigan. 

W.  J.  PHELPS,  Esq.,  Illinois. 


FACULTY  OF  INSTRUCTION. 

REV.  JOSEPH  HAVEN,  Chicago. 

Carpenter  Professor  of  Systematic  Theology. 

REV.  S.  C.  BARTLETT,  Chicago, 

Professor  of  Biblical  Literature. 

0 

REV.  F.  Vr.  FISKE, 

Professor  of  Sacred  Rhetoric  and  Homiletics. 

REV.  J.  M.  STURTEYANT,  D.D.,  Pres,  of  Illinois  College. 

“  J.  BLANCHARD,  late  Pres,  of  Knox  College. 

“  A.  L.  CHAPIN,  D.D.,  Pres,  of  Beloit  College. 

“  EDWARD  BEECHER,  D.D.,  and 
“  J.  B.  WALKER, 

With  such  others  as  may  from  time  to  time  be  appointed,  will  act  as  Lectu¬ 
rers  in  the  Seminary,  and  will  give  instruction  upon  such  subjects,  and  in 
such  departments  of  study,  as  will  tend  to  render  the  course  of  training  in 
this  Institution  inferior  to  that  of  no  other. 


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